Wearable Gesture Control Device &amp; Method

ABSTRACT

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing Internet of Things (“IoT”) functionality. In some embodiments, a wearable control device (“WCD”) might receive first user input comprising one or more of touch, gesture, and/or voice input from the user. The WCD (and/or a remote computing system (“RCS”)) might analyze the first user input to identify a user device of a plurality of user devices to remotely control. The WCD might establish wireless communications with the identified user device, and might reconfigure its user interface to provide the user with command options to control the user device. The WCD might receive second user input. The WCD (and/or the RCS) might analyze the second user input to identify one or more functionalities of the user device to invoke, and might generate first command instructions, which might be sent by the WCD to the user device, via the wireless communications.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/383,623 (the “'623 application”), filed Dec. 19, 2016 by ThomasCharles Barnett, Jr. (attorney docket no. 1441-US-U1), entitled,“Wearable Gesture Control Device & Method,” which claims priority toU.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/379,090 (the “'9090 application”),filed Aug. 24, 2016 by Thomas Charles Barnett, Jr. (attorney docket no.020370-030201US), entitled, “Wearable Gesture Control Device withAssociative Touchscreen Remote,” the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

This application may be related to each of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/946,540 (the “'540 application”), filed on Nov. 19, 2015 byMichael K. Bugenhagen et al. and titled, “Customer Based Internet ofThings (TOT)” (attorney docket number 020370-022100US), which claimspriority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/196,086 (the “'086application”), filed Jul. 23, 2015 by Michael K. Bugenhagen et al. andtitled, “Customer Based Internet of Things (TOT)” (attorney docketnumber 020370-022101US); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/946,548(the “'548 application”), filed on Nov. 19, 2015 by Michael K.Bugenhagen et al. and titled, “Customer Based Internet of Things(TOT)—Transparent Privacy Functionality” (attorney docket number020370-022200US), which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser.No. 62/196,090 (the “'090 application”), filed Jul. 23, 2015 by MichaelK. Bugenhagen and titled, “Customer Based Internet of Things(TOT)—Transparent Privacy Functionality” (attorney docket number020370-022201US); and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/084,805 (the“'805 application”), filed on Mar. 30, 2016 by Tom Funk and titled,“System and Method for Implementing Secure Communications for Internetof Things (TOT) Devices” (attorney docket number 020370-027000US), whichclaims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/277,245 (the“'245 application”), filed Jan. 11, 2016 by Tom Funk and titled, “IoTSecurity through Combining TOR Messenger with MQTT or AdditionalProtocols” (attorney docket number 020370-027001US). This applicationmay be related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/370,764 (the “'764application”), filed Dec. 6, 2016 by Thomas C. Barnett, Jr. and titled,“Internet of Things (IoT) Human Interface Apparatus, System, and Method”(attorney docket no. 020370-028400US), which claims priority to U.S.Patent Application Ser. No. 62/342,710 (the “'710 application”), filedMay 27, 2016 by Thomas C. Barnett, Jr. and titled, “Internet of Things(IoT) Human Interface Apparatus, System, and Method” (attorney docketno. 020370-028401US). This application may also be related to U.S.Patent Application Ser. No. 62/397,086 (the “'7086 application”), filedSep. 20, 2016 by Thomas Schwengler et al. and titled, “UniversalWireless Station for Multiple Simultaneous Wireless Services” (attorneydocket no. 020370-030801US) and U.S. Patent Application Ser. No.62/403,878 (the “'878 application”), filed Oct. 4, 2016 by ThomasSchwengler et al. and titled, “Universal Wireless Station for MultipleSimultaneous Wireless Services” (attorney docket no. 020370-030802US).

This application may also be related to each of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/678,208 (the “'208 application”), filed Apr. 3, 2015 byMichael J. Fargano et al. and titled, “Network Functions VirtualizationInterconnection Gateway” (attorney docket no. 020370-016400US), whichclaims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/974,927, filedApr. 3, 2014 by Michael J. Fargano and titled, “Network FunctionsVirtualization Interconnection Gateway” (attorney docket no.020370-016401US); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/678,280 (the “'280application”), filed on Apr. 3, 2015 by Michael J. Fargano et al. andtitled, “Network Functions Virtualization Interconnection Hub” (attorneydocket no. 020370-016500US), which claims priority to U.S. PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/974,930, filed Apr. 3, 2014 by Michael J.Fargano and titled, “Network Functions Virtualization InterconnectionHub” (attorney docket no. 020370-016501US); and U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/678,309 (the “'309 application”), filed Apr. 3, 2015 byMichael J. Fargano et. al and titled, “Customer Environment NetworkFunctions Virtualization (NFV)” (attorney docket no. 020370-017000US),which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/976,896,filed Apr. 8, 2014 by Michael J. Fargano and titled, “CustomerEnvironment Network Functions Virtualization (NFV)” (attorney docket no.020370-017001US) and U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/977,820, filedApr. 10, 2014 by Michael J. Fargano and titled, “Customer EnvironmentNetwork Functions Virtualization (NFV)” (attorney docket no.020370-017002US).

This application may be related to each of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/730,695 (the “'695 application”), filed Jun. 4, 2015 by CharlesI. Cook et al. and titled, “Remoting Application Servers” (attorneydocket no. 020370-020000US), which claims priority to U.S. PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/037,096, filed Aug. 13, 2014 by Charles I. Cooket al. and titled, “Remoting Application Servers” (attorney docket no.020370-020001US); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/983,884 (the “'884application”), filed Dec. 30, 2015 by Kevin M. McBride et al. andtitled, “Intent-Based Services Orchestration” (attorney docket no.020370-025500US), which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser.No. 62/233,911, filed Sep. 28, 2015 by Kevin M. McBride et al. andtitled, “Intent-Based Services Orchestration” (attorney docket no.020370-025501US) and U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/247,294, filedOct. 28, 2015 by Kevin M. McBride et al. and titled, “Intent-BasedServices Orchestration” (attorney docket no. 020370-025502US); and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/983,758 (the “'758 application”), filedDec. 30, 2015 by Michael K. Bugenhagen and titled, “VirtualMachine-To-Port Peripheral Device Driver” (attorney docket no.020370-025700US), which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser.No. 62/237,981, filed Oct. 6, 2015 by Michael K. Bugenhagen and titled,“NFV Peripheral Network Driver for VNF's” (attorney docket no.020370-025701US).

This application may also be related to each of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/148,688 (the “'688 application”), filed on May 6, 2016 byCharles I. Cook et al. and titled, “System and Method for ImplementingNetwork Enhanced Gateway Functionality” (attorney docket no.020370-023700US); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/148,705 (the “'705application”), filed on May 6, 2016 by Charles I. Cook et al. andtitled, “System and Method for Implementing Extension of Customer LAN atProvider Network Service Point” (attorney docket no. 020370-027300US);U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/148,711 (the “'711 application”),filed May 6, 2016 by Charles I. Cook et al. and titled, “System andMethod for Implementing Isolated Service Overlays between ProviderNetwork Service Point and Customer Premises” (attorney docket no.020370-027400US); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/148,721 (the “'721application”), filed on May 6, 2016 by Charles I. Cook et al. andtitled, “System and Method for Implementing Network Experience Shifting”(attorney docket no. 020370-027500US); and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 15/222,623 (the “'623 application”), filed Jul. 28, 2016 by MichaelK. Bugenhagen et al. and titled, “System and Method for ImplementingCustomer Control Point or Customer Portal” (attorney docket no.020370-027600US). Each of the '688, '705, '711, and '721 applicationsclaim priority to each of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/157,795(the “'795 application”), filed May 6, 2015 by Charles I. Cook et al.and titled, “NFVI Enhanced Open Business/Residential Gateways andCustomer Portal” (attorney docket no. 020370-023701US), U.S. PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/159,788 (the “'788 application”), filed May 11,2015 by Charles I. Cook et al. and titled, “NFVI Enhanced OpenBusiness/Residential Gateways and Customer Portal” (attorney docket no.020370-023702US), U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/172,359 (the “'359application”), filed Jun. 8, 2015 by Charles I. Cook et al. and titled,“Enhanced LAN With Customer Portal Control” (attorney docket no.020370-023703US). The '721 application further claims priority to U.S.Patent Application Ser. No. 62/299,346 (the “'346 application”), filedFeb. 24, 2016 by Charles I. Cook et al. and titled, “ExperienceShifting” (attorney docket no. 020370-027501US). The '623 applicationclaims priority to the '346 application and to U.S. Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/299,357 (the “'357 application”), filed Feb. 24, 2016 byMichael K. Bugenhagen et al. and titled, “Control Point or CustomerPortal” (attorney docket no. 020370-027601US).

The respective disclosures of these applications/patents (which thisdocument refers to collectively as the “Related Applications”) areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates, in general, to methods, systems,apparatus, and computer software for implementing Internet of Thingsfunctionality, and, in particular embodiments, to methods, systems,apparatus, and computer software for implementing wearable controlfunctionality.

BACKGROUND

Although remote control devices (e.g., universal remote control devices)are currently available on the market, such conventional remote controldevices do not appear to be wearable remote control devices, nor do theyappear to remotely control anything other than televisions, mediarecording and/or playback devices, set-top-boxes, etc. In particular,such conventional remote control devices do not appear to control suchmedia content presentation devices while also being able to controlhousehold appliances, kitchen appliances, mobile devices, vehicles,and/or the like, much less providing one or more of gesture control,voice control, and/or touch control for such wide variety of userdevices.

Hence, there is a need for more robust and scalable solutions forimplementing Internet of Things functionality, and, in particularembodiments, to methods, systems, apparatus, and computer software forimplementing wearable control functionality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of particularembodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions ofthe specification and the drawings, in which like reference numerals areused to refer to similar components. In some instances, a sub-label isassociated with a reference numeral to denote one of multiple similarcomponents. When reference is made to a reference numeral withoutspecification to an existing sub-label, it is intended to refer to allsuch multiple similar components.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for implementingwearable control functionality, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another system forimplementing wearable control functionality, in accordance with variousembodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another system forimplementing wearable control functionality, in accordance with variousembodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams illustrating various views of anexemplary embodiment of a wearable control device, in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIGS. 5A-5C are schematic diagrams illustrating various user interfaceson the exemplary wearable control device of FIG. 4A for implementingvarious exemplary embodiments for remotely controlling various userdevices, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-6D are flow diagrams illustrating a method for implementingwearable control functionality, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer or systemhardware architecture, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a networked systemof computers, computing systems, or system hardware architecture, whichcan be used in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

Overview

Various embodiments provide tools and techniques for implementingInternet of Things functionality, and, in particular embodiments, tomethods, systems, apparatus, and computer software for implementingwearable control functionality.

In various embodiments, a wearable control device (when worn by a user)might receive first user input comprising one or more of touch, gesture,and/or voice input from the user. The wearable control device (and/or aremote computing system) might analyze the first user input to identifya first user device of a plurality of user devices to remotely control.The wearable control device might establish wireless communications withthe identified first user device, and might reconfigure its userinterface to provide the user with command options to control the firstuser device. The wearable control device might receive second user inputcomprising one or more of touch, gesture, and/or voice input. Thewearable control device (and/or the remote computing system) mightanalyze the second user input to identify one or more firstfunctionalities of a first plurality of functionalities of the firstuser device to invoke, and might generate first command instructions.The wearable control device might send the generated first commandinstructions to the first user device, via the wireless communications.

According to some embodiments, the wearable control device (when worn bythe user) might further receive third user input comprising one or moreof touch, gesture, and/or voice input from the user. The wearablecontrol device (and/or a remote computing system) might analyze thethird user input to identify a second user device of the plurality ofuser devices to remotely control. The wearable control device mightestablish wireless communications with the identified second userdevice, and might reconfigure its user interface to provide the userwith command options to control the second user device. In some cases,the wearable control device might concurrently link with and/or controlboth the first and second user devices, and might reconfigure the userinterface of the wearable control device to provide, to the user, athird set of command options that are customized for controlling boththe first user device and the second user device. The wearable controldevice might receive fourth user input comprising one or more of touch,gesture, and/or voice input. The wearable control device (and/or theremote computing system) might analyze the fourth user input to identifyone or more second functionalities of a second plurality offunctionalities of the second user device to invoke, and might generatesecond command instructions. The wearable control device might send thegenerated second command instructions to the second user device, via thewireless communications.

In some embodiments, the wearable control device might have a formcomprising one of a bracer, a bracelet, a wrist watch, a smart watch, awrist band, a bangle, a gauntlet, a wrist strap, a finger ring, a headband, or a glove, and/or the like. In some cases, the wearable controldevice might include, without limitation, at least one of a wrist strap,a clip, a pin, a clasp, an ear-loop, a finger ring, a toe ring, abangle, a hook and loop-type strap, eyewear stems, a head band, or abuckle, and/or the like, that allows the wearable control device to beremovably affixed to at least one of a wrist of the user, a portion ofskin of the user, a limb of the user, an appendage of the user, a torsoof the user, a head of the user, or a piece of clothing worn by theuser, and/or the like.

According to some embodiments, the one or more input/output (“I/O”)devices that track or receive the first and second user inputs mightinclude, without limitation, at least one of one or more gesture inputdevices, one or more voice input devices, or one or more touch inputdevices, and/or the like. The one or more gesture input devices, in somecases, might include, without limitation, at least one of one or moreaccelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one or more motion sensors, oneor more location sensors, one or more altitude sensors, one or more tiltsensors, or one or more rotation sensors, and/or the like. The one ormore voice input devices, in some instances, might include, but are notlimited to, at least one of one or more microphones, one or more soundamplitude detectors, one or more sound frequency detectors, or one ormore voice recognition devices, and/or the like. The one or more touchinput devices, in some embodiments, might include, without limitation,at least one of a pointer stick (or finger-controlled joystick), one ormore touchscreen displays, one or more buttons, one or more switches,one or more toggles, or one or more dials, and/or the like.

Merely by way of example, in some embodiments, the plurality of userdevices might include, but are not limited to, at least one of one ormore display devices, one or more speakers, one or more media recordingor playback devices, one or more household appliances, one or morekitchen appliances, one or more lighting systems, one or more automateddoor locking systems, one or more automated door opening or closingsystems, one or more automated window locking systems, one or moreautomated window opening or closing systems, one or more smart windows,one or more window covering control systems, one or more customerpremises security systems, one or more customer premises environmentalcontrol systems, one or more electrical outlets, one or more powerstrips, one or more dimmer switches, one or more data ports, one or moreclocks, one or more sprinkler systems, one or more vehicles, one or moremobile user devices, one or more medical devices, one or more fitnesstrackers, or one or more exercise equipment, and/or the like.

Various uses or implementations may be made to the various embodimentsand examples without departing from the scope of the invention. Forexample, while the embodiments described above refer to particularfeatures or particular uses, the scope of this invention also includesembodiments having different combination of features or uses, and theembodiments that do not include all of the above described features.

The various embodiments of the wearable control device and associatedsystem, in some embodiments, performs one or more of the following:delivers practical IoT functionality, provides a customizable lifestyleexperience for users, provides a platform for service providers tointegrate new business strategies (e.g., in the form of productfunctionality releases or service releases) without necessarilyreplacing hardware, reduces usage complexity for the users (particularthose users who may be overwhelmed by technology), combines multipledevices (or multiple device controls) into a single solution (while alsocombining two or more of voice control, gesture control, touch control,IoT functionalities, gateway functionalities, and/or WiFi or otherwireless mesh, etc.), infuses ever more integration between or amongstdevices (while providing simple out-of-the-box experience for theusers), extends customer functionality via the service provider network(and also leveraging other networks for richer experience for theusers), deploying cloud and analytics services to single family unit(“SFU”) as well as small-to-medium sized business or enterprise (“SMB”or “SME”) markets for fully integrated experience, and/or the like.

The following detailed description illustrates a few exemplaryembodiments in further detail to enable one of skill in the art topractice such embodiments. The described examples are provided forillustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention.

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the described embodiments. It will be apparent to oneskilled in the art, however, that other embodiments of the presentinvention may be practiced without some of these specific details. Inother instances, certain structures and devices are shown in blockdiagram form. Several embodiments are described herein, and whilevarious features are ascribed to different embodiments, it should beappreciated that the features described with respect to one embodimentmay be incorporated with other embodiments as well. By the same token,however, no single feature or features of any described embodimentshould be considered essential to every embodiment of the invention, asother embodiments of the invention may omit such features.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers used herein to expressquantities, dimensions, and so forth used should be understood as beingmodified in all instances by the term “about.” In this application, theuse of the singular includes the plural unless specifically statedotherwise, and use of the terms “and” and “or” means “and/or” unlessotherwise indicated. Moreover, the use of the term “including,” as wellas other forms, such as “includes” and “included,” should be considerednon-exclusive. Also, terms such as “element” or “component” encompassboth elements and components comprising one unit and elements andcomponents that comprise more than one unit, unless specifically statedotherwise.

The tools provided by various embodiments include, without limitation,methods, systems, and/or software products. Merely by way of example, amethod might comprise one or more procedures, any or all of which areexecuted by a computer system. Correspondingly, an embodiment mightprovide a computer system configured with instructions to perform one ormore procedures in accordance with methods provided by various otherembodiments. Similarly, a computer program might comprise a set ofinstructions that are executable by a computer system (and/or aprocessor therein) to perform such operations. In many cases, suchsoftware programs are encoded on physical, tangible, and/ornon-transitory computer readable media (such as, to name but a fewexamples, optical media, magnetic media, and/or the like).

Various embodiments described herein, while embodying (in some cases)software products, computer-performed methods, and/or computer systems,represent tangible, concrete improvements to existing technologicalareas, including, without limitation, network virtualization technology,network configuration technology, virtualized network functiontechnology, Internet of Things (“IoT”) technology, machine-to-machinecommunication, remote control technologies, gesture controltechnologies, and/or the like. In other aspects, certain embodiments,can improve the functioning of user equipment or systems themselves(e.g., IoT device networks, IoT devices, IoT systems, human interfacedevices, remote control devices, etc.), for example, by analyzing firstuser input comprising one or a combination of two or more of touch,gesture, and/or voice input from a user, to identify each of one or moreuser devices of a plurality of user devices to remotely control;establish wireless communications based on such identification of userdevice(s); reconfigure a user interface of a wearable control device toprovide command options for control one or a combination of two or moreof the user devices of the plurality of user devices; analyzing seconduser input comprising one or a combination of two or more of touch,gesture, and/or voice input from the user, to identify one or morefunctionalities of a plurality of functionalities for each of theidentified or connected/linked user devices; generating and sendingcommand instructions to the identified or connected/linked user devices,based at least in part on the one or more functionalities, and/or thelike. In particular, to the extent any abstract concepts are present inthe various embodiments, those concepts can be implemented as describedherein by devices, software, systems, and methods that involve specificnovel functionality (e.g., steps or operations), such as analyzing firstuser input comprising one or a combination of two or more of touch,gesture, and/or voice input from a user, to identify each of one or moreuser devices of a plurality of user devices to remotely control;establish wireless communications based on such identification of userdevice(s); reconfigure a user interface of a wearable control device toprovide command options for control one or a combination of two or moreof the user devices of the plurality of user devices; analyzing seconduser input comprising one or a combination of two or more of touch,gesture, and/or voice input from the user, to identify one or morefunctionalities of a plurality of functionalities for each of theidentified or connected/linked user devices; generating and sendingcommand instructions to the identified or connected/linked user devices,based at least in part on the one or more functionalities, and/or thelike, which improves the interaction between the user and the wearablecontrol device, and improves the interaction between the wearablecontrol device and the various user devices (which might include IoTdevices) in the area (i.e., around the user), improves the functionalityof the wearable control device, improves the functionality of thenetwork of IoT or other user devices, and/or the like, to name a fewexamples, that extend beyond mere conventional computer processingoperations. These functionalities can produce tangible results outsideof the implementing computer system, including, merely by way ofexample, improved functionality of the remote control device (in thiscase, a wearable control device), improved customer experience with IoTor other user devices and with the remote control device (in this case,a wearable control device), improved lifestyle experience of the userwith respect to connected devices in the user's life particularly,and/or the like, at least some of which may be observed or measured bycustomers and/or service providers.

In an aspect, a method might comprise receiving, with a wearable controldevice worn by a user, at least one first user input indicating whichuser device of a plurality of user devices that the user intends tocontrol, the at least one first user input comprising at least one offirst gesture input, first voice input, or first touch input. The methodmight also comprise identifying, with at least one of the wearablecontrol device or a remote computing system, a first user device of theplurality of user devices to remotely control based at least in part onthe received at least one first user input; establishing, with thewearable control device, wireless communication with the identifiedfirst user device; and reconfiguring, with the wearable control device,a user interface of the wearable control device to provide, to the user,a first set of command options that are customized for controlling thefirst user device. The method might also comprise receiving, with thewearable control device, at least one second user input indicating whichfunctionalities of a first plurality of functionalities of the firstuser device the user intends to invoke, the at least one second userinput comprising at least one of second gesture input, second voiceinput, or second touch input; and identifying, with the at least one ofthe wearable control device or the remote computing system, one or morefirst functionalities of the first plurality of functionalities of thefirst user device to invoke based at least in part on the received atleast one second user input. The method might further comprisegenerating, with the at least one of the wearable control device or theremote computing system, one or more first command instructions for thefirst user device, based at least in part on the identified one or morefirst functionalities of the first user device; and sending, with thewearable control device and via the wireless communication with thefirst user device, the generated one or more first command instructionsto cause the first user device to perform the one or more firstfunctionalities.

Merely by way of example, in some embodiments, the wearable controldevice has a form comprising one of a bracer, a bracelet, a wrist watch,a smart watch, a wrist band, a bangle, a gauntlet, a wrist strap, afinger ring, a head band, or a glove, and/or the like. According to someembodiments, the plurality of user devices might comprise at least oneof one or more display devices, one or more speakers, one or more mediarecording or playback devices, one or more household appliances, one ormore kitchen appliances, one or more lighting systems, one or moreautomated door locking systems, one or more automated door opening orclosing systems, one or more automated window locking systems, one ormore automated window opening or closing systems, one or more smartwindows, one or more window covering control systems, one or morecustomer premises security systems, one or more customer premisesenvironmental control systems, one or more electrical outlets, one ormore power strips, one or more dimmer switches, one or more data ports,one or more clocks, one or more sprinkler systems, one or more vehicles,one or more mobile user devices, one or more medical devices, one ormore fitness trackers, or one or more exercise equipment, and/or thelike.

In some instances, the wireless communication might comprise at leastone of machine-to-machine Internet of Things (“IoT”) communications,Bluetooth communications, Z-wave communications, ZigBee communications,or WiFi communications, and/or the like. In some cases, establishingwireless communication with the identified first user device mightcomprise establishing, with the wearable control device, wirelesscommunication with the identified first user device via one or moreapplication programming interfaces (“APIs”) established between thewearable control device and the first user device.

According to some embodiments, identifying the first user device mightcomprise analyzing, with the at least one of the wearable control deviceor the remote computing system, the at least one first user input byusing at least one of the first gesture input, the first voice input, orthe first touch input to augment or complement at least one other of thefirst gesture input, the first voice input, or the first touch input.Similarly, identifying the one or more first functionalities of thefirst user device might comprise analyzing, with the at least one of thewearable control device or the remote computing system, the at least onesecond user input by using at least one of the second gesture input, thesecond voice input, or the second touch input to augment or complementat least one other of the second gesture input, the second voice input,or the second touch input.

Alternatively, or additionally, identifying the first user device andidentifying the one or more first functionalities of the first userdevice might comprise analyzing, with the at least one of the wearablecontrol device or the remote computing system, the at least one firstuser input and the at least one second user input, respectively, usingartificial intelligence (“AI”) to improve interactions with the user. Insome instances, the AI might be further utilized to improvemachine-to-machine interactions and to improve reconfiguration of theuser interface of the wearable control device to provide, to the user,the command options that are customized for controlling the first userdevice. In some cases, the remote computing system might comprise atleast one of a server computer remote from the wearable control device,a gateway device, a human interface device, a cloud computing system, ora distributed computing system that integrates computing resources fromtwo or more user devices of the plurality of user devices, and/or thelike.

In some embodiments, the method might further comprise receiving, withthe wearable control device, at least one third user input indicatingwhich other user device of the plurality of user devices that the userintends to control next, the at least one third user input comprising atleast one of third gesture input, third voice input, or third touchinput; and identifying, with the at least one of the wearable controldevice or the remote computing system, a second user device of theplurality of user devices to remotely control based at least in part onthe received at least one third user input. The method might alsocomprise establishing, with the wearable control device, wirelesscommunication with the identified second user device; and reconfiguring,with the wearable control device, the user interface of the wearablecontrol device to provide, to the user, a second set of command optionsthat are customized for controlling the second user device, the secondset of command options being different from the first set of commandoptions. The method might additionally comprise receiving, with thewearable control device, at least one fourth user input indicating whichfunctionalities of a second plurality of functionalities of the seconduser device to invoke, the at least one fourth user input comprising atleast one of fourth gesture input, fourth voice input, or fourth touchinput; and identifying, with the at least one of the wearable controldevice or the remote computing system, one or more secondfunctionalities of the second plurality of functionalities of the seconduser device to invoke based at least in part on the received at leastone fourth user input. The method might further comprise generating,with the at least one of the wearable control device or the remotecomputing system, one or more second command instructions for the seconduser device, based at least in part on the identified one or more secondfunctionalities of the second user device; and sending, with thewearable control device and via the wireless communication with thesecond user device, the generated one or more second commandinstructions to cause the second user device to perform the one or moresecond functionalities.

Merely by way of example, according to some embodiments, the wearablecontrol device might concurrently control both the first user device andthe second user device, and reconfiguring the user interface mightcomprise reconfiguring, with the wearable control device, the userinterface of the wearable control device to provide, to the user, athird set of command options, the third set of command optionscomprising a combination of the first set of command options that arecustomized for controlling the first user device and the second set ofcommand options that are customized for controlling the second userdevice.

In another aspect, a wearable control device, which may be worn by auser, might comprise at least one processor, at least one user inputdevice, a user interface, at least one transceiver, and a non-transitorycomputer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least oneprocessor. The non-transitory computer readable medium might have storedthereon computer software comprising a set of instructions that, whenexecuted by the at least one processor, causes the wearable controldevice to: receive, via the at least one user input device, at least onefirst user input, the at least one first user input indicating whichuser device of a plurality of user devices that the user intends tocontrol, the at least one first user input comprising at least one offirst gesture input, first voice input, or first touch input; identify afirst user device of the plurality of user devices to remotely controlbased at least in part on the received at least one first user input;establish, via the at least one transceiver, wireless communication withthe identified first user device; reconfigure the user interface toprovide, to the user, a first set of command options that are customizedfor controlling the first user device; receive, via the at least oneuser input device, at least one second user input, the at least onesecond user input indicating which functionalities of a first pluralityof functionalities of the first user device the user intends to invoke,the at least one second user input comprising at least one of secondgesture input, second voice input, or second touch input; identify oneor more first functionalities of the first plurality of functionalitiesof the first user device to invoke based at least in part on thereceived at least one second user input; generate one or more firstcommand instructions for the first user device, based at least in parton the identified one or more first functionalities of the first userdevice; and sending, via the at least one transceiver via the wirelesscommunication with the first user device, the generated one or morefirst command instructions to cause the first user device to perform theone or more first functionalities.

Merely by way of example, in some embodiments, the wearable controldevice has a form comprising one of a bracer, a bracelet, a wrist watch,a smart watch, a wrist band, a bangle, a gauntlet, a wrist strap, afinger ring, a head band, or a glove, and/or the like. According to someembodiments, the plurality of user devices might comprise at least oneof one or more display devices, one or more speakers, one or more mediarecording or playback devices, one or more household appliances, one ormore kitchen appliances, one or more lighting systems, one or moreautomated door locking systems, one or more automated door opening orclosing systems, one or more automated window locking systems, one ormore automated window opening or closing systems, one or more smartwindows, one or more window covering control systems, one or morecustomer premises security systems, one or more customer premisesenvironmental control systems, one or more electrical outlets, one ormore power strips, one or more dimmer switches, one or more data ports,one or more clocks, one or more sprinkler systems, one or more vehicles,one or more mobile user devices, one or more medical devices, one ormore fitness trackers, or one or more exercise equipment, and/or thelike.

In some instances, the at least one transceiver might be configured toprovide wireless communications with one or more user devices of theplurality of user devices, the wireless communications comprising atleast one of machine-to-machine Internet of Things (“IoT”)communications, Bluetooth communications, Z-wave communications, ZigBeecommunications, or WiFi communications, and/or the like. In some cases,establishing wireless communication with the identified first userdevice might comprise establishing wireless communication with theidentified first user device via one or more application programminginterfaces (“APIs”) established between the wearable control device andthe first user device.

According to some embodiments, identifying the first user device mightcomprise analyzing the at least one first user input by using at leastone of the first gesture input, the first voice input, or the firsttouch input to augment or complement at least one other of the firstgesture input, the first voice input, or the first touch input.Similarly, identifying the one or more first functionalities of thefirst user device might comprise analyzing the at least one second userinput by using at least one of the second gesture input, the secondvoice input, or the second touch input to augment or complement at leastone other of the second gesture input, the second voice input, or thesecond touch input.

Alternatively, or additionally, identifying the first user device andidentifying the one or more first functionalities of the first userdevice might comprise analyzing the at least one first user input andthe at least one second user input, respectively, using artificialintelligence (“AI”) to improve interactions with the user. In someinstances, the AI might be further utilized to improvemachine-to-machine interactions and to improve reconfiguration of theuser interface of the wearable control device to provide, to the user,the command options that are customized for controlling the first userdevice. In some cases, identifying the first user device and identifyingthe one or more first functionalities of the first user device mightcomprise identifying, with at least one of the wearable control deviceor a remote computing system, the first user device and the one or morefirst functionalities of the first user device, respectively. In suchcases, the remote computing system might comprise at least one of aserver computer remote from the wearable control device, a gatewaydevice, a human interface device, a cloud computing system, or adistributed computing system that integrates computing resources fromtwo or more user devices of the plurality of user devices, and/or thelike.

In some embodiments, the set of instructions, when executed by the atleast one processor, further causes the wearable control device to:receive, via the at least one user input device, at least one third userinput, the at least one third user input indicating which other userdevice of the plurality of user devices that the user intends to controlnext, the at least one third user input comprising at least one of thirdgesture input, third voice input, or third touch input; identify asecond user device of the plurality of user devices to remotely controlbased at least in part on the received at least one third user input;establish, via the at least one transceiver, wireless communication withthe identified second user device; reconfigure the user interface toprovide, to the user, a second set of command options that arecustomized for controlling the second user device, the second set ofcommand options being different from the first set of command options;receive, via the at least one user input device, at least one fourthuser input, the at least one fourth user input indicating whichfunctionalities of a second plurality of functionalities of the seconduser device to invoke, the at least one fourth user input comprising atleast one of fourth gesture input, fourth voice input, or fourth touchinput; identify one or more second functionalities of the secondplurality of functionalities of the second user device to invoke basedat least in part on the received at least one fourth user input;generate one or more second command instructions for the second userdevice, based at least in part on the identified one or more secondfunctionalities of the second user device; and send, via the at leastone transceiver via the wireless communication with the second userdevice, the generated one or more second command instructions to causethe second user device to perform the one or more secondfunctionalities.

Merely by way of example, according to some embodiments, the wearablecontrol device might concurrently control both the first user device andthe second user device, and reconfiguring the user interface mightcomprise reconfiguring the user interface of the wearable control deviceto provide, to the user, a third set of command options, the third setof command options comprising a combination of the first set of commandoptions that are customized for controlling the first user device andthe second set of command options that are customized for controllingthe second user device.

In some embodiments, the at least one user input device might compriseat least one of one or more gesture input devices, one or more voiceinput devices, or one or more touch input devices. The one or moregesture input devices might comprise one or more accelerometers, one ormore gyroscopes, one or more motion sensors, one or more locationsensors, one or more altitude sensors, one or more tilt sensors, or oneor more rotation sensors, and/or the like. The one or more voice inputdevices might comprise one or more microphones, one or more soundamplitude detectors, one or more sound frequency detectors, or one ormore voice recognition devices, wherein the one or more touch inputdevices comprise a pointer stick (or finger-controlled joystick), one ormore touchscreen displays, one or more buttons, one or more switches,one or more toggles, or one or more dials, and/or the like. In somecases, receiving the at least one first user input might comprisesreceiving, via at least one of the one or more gesture input devices,the one or more voice input devices, or the one or more touch inputdevices, corresponding at least one of the first gesture input, thefirst voice input, or the first touch input. In some instances,receiving the at least one second user input might comprise receiving,via at least one of the one or more gesture input devices, the one ormore voice input devices, or the one or more touch input devices,corresponding at least one of the second gesture input, the second voiceinput, or the second touch input.

According to some embodiments, wearable control device might furthercomprise at least one of a wrist strap, a clip, a pin, a clasp, anear-loop, a finger ring, a toe ring, a bangle, a hook and loop-typestrap, eyewear stems, a head band, or a buckle, and/or the like thatallows the wearable control device to be removably affixed to at leastone of a wrist of the user, a portion of skin of the user, a limb of theuser, an appendage of the user, a torso of the user, a head of the user,or a piece of clothing worn by the user, and/or the like.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the embodimentsdiscussed without departing from the scope of the invention. Forexample, while the embodiments described above refer to particularfeatures, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments havingdifferent combination of features and embodiments that do not includeall of the above described features.

Specific Exemplary Embodiments

We now turn to the embodiments as illustrated by the drawings. FIGS. 1-8illustrate some of the features of the method, system, and apparatus forimplementing Internet of Things (“IoT”) functionality, and, inparticular embodiments, to methods, systems, apparatus, and computersoftware for implementing wearable control functionality, as referred toabove. The methods, systems, and apparatuses illustrated by FIGS. 1-8refer to examples of different embodiments that include variouscomponents and steps, which can be considered alternatives or which canbe used in conjunction with one another in the various embodiments. Thedescription of the illustrated methods, systems, and apparatuses shownin FIGS. 1-8 is provided for purposes of illustration and should not beconsidered to limit the scope of the different embodiments.

With reference to the figures, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagramillustrating a system 100 for implementing wearable controlfunctionality, in accordance with various embodiments. In thenon-limiting embodiment of FIG. 1, system 100 might include, withoutlimitation, a wearable control device 105 that may be worn by a user110, one or more input devices or input/output (“I/O”) devices 115 a-115n (collectively, “I/O devices 115” or “devices 115”) that are disposedon or within the wearable control device 105, one or more user devices120 a-120 n (collectively, “user devices 120” or “devices 120”), and oneor more IoT-capable sensors 125 a-125 n (collectively, “IoT-capablesensors 125,” “IoT sensors 125,” or “sensors 125”), and/or the like.

In some instances, the wearable control device 105 might have a formcomprising one of a bracer, a bracelet, a wrist watch, a smart watch, awrist band, a bangle, a gauntlet, a wrist strap, a finger ring, a headband, or a glove, and/or the like. In some cases, the wearable controldevice 105 might include, without limitation, at least one of a wriststrap, a clip, a pin, a clasp, an ear-loop, a finger ring, a toe ring, abangle, a hook and loop-type strap, eyewear stems, a head band, or abuckle, and/or the like, that allows the wearable control device 105 tobe removably affixed to at least one of a wrist of the user 110, aportion of skin of the user 110, a limb of the user 110, an appendage ofthe user 110, a torso of the user 110, a head of the user 110, or apiece of clothing worn by the user 110, and/or the like.

According to some embodiments, the one or more I/O devices 115 mightinclude, without limitation, at least one of one or more gesture inputdevices, one or more voice input devices, or one or more touch inputdevices, and/or the like. The one or more gesture input devices, in somecases, might include, without limitation, at least one of one or moreaccelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one or more motion sensors, oneor more location sensors, one or more altitude sensors, one or more tiltsensors, or one or more rotation sensors, and/or the like. The one ormore voice input devices, in some instances, might include, but are notlimited to, at least one of one or more microphones, one or more soundamplitude detectors, one or more sound frequency detectors, or one ormore voice recognition devices, and/or the like. The one or more touchinput devices, in some embodiments, might include, without limitation,at least one of a pointer stick (or finger-controlled joystick), one ormore touchscreen displays, one or more buttons, one or more switches,one or more toggles, or one or more dials, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the one or more user devices 120 might include, butare not limited to, at least one of one or more display devices, one ormore speakers, one or more media recording or playback devices, one ormore household appliances, one or more kitchen appliances, one or morelighting systems, one or more automated door locking systems, one ormore automated door opening or closing systems, one or more automatedwindow locking systems, one or more automated window opening or closingsystems, one or more smart windows, one or more window covering controlsystems, one or more customer premises security systems, one or morecustomer premises environmental control systems, one or more electricaloutlets, one or more power strips, one or more dimmer switches, one ormore data ports, one or more clocks, one or more sprinkler systems, oneor more vehicles, one or more mobile user devices, one or more medicaldevices, one or more fitness trackers, or one or more exerciseequipment, and/or the like.

In some instances, the one or more IoT-capable sensors 125 mightinclude, without limitation, at least one of an ambient temperaturesensor, a flame detector, a particulate sensor, a light sensor, ahumidity sensor, an air quality sensor, an atmospheric oxygen levelmonitor, an atmospheric carbon dioxide level monitor, an atmosphericnitrogen level monitor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, an environmentalcarbon monoxide sensor, a smoke detector, a gas toxicity monitor, acarcinogen detector, a radiation sensor, a location sensor, a locationbeacon, an object identifier beacon, a telecommunications signal sensor,a sound amplitude sensor, a frequency sensor, one or moreaccelerometers, one or more proximity sensors, a weather sensor, or aseismic sensor, and/or the like. According to some embodiments, ratherthan a sensor that senses location or other information, and the like,beacons (e.g., location beacons, object identifier beacons, and/or thelike) might be used to announce (broadcast or otherwise send)information regarding a specific location, item/object, and/or the like.The wearable control device 105 can then respond to the information sentby the beacon and take the appropriate actions.

According to some embodiments, system 100 might further comprise acomputing system 130 that may be communicatively coupled to at least thewearable control device 105 (and in some cases, one or more of thedevices 120 or one or more of the sensors 125) via network 135 (and insome instances, via one or more telecommunications relay systems 140).In some embodiments, the wearable control device 105 might communicatewith the remote computing system 130 that handles, coordinates, and/ormanages IoT or other machine communications and interactions amongst aplurality of IoT or other devices (and in some instances, all IoT orother devices) that are communicatively coupled to the service providernetwork that is associated with the computing system 130 and/or to anynetwork with which the remote computing system 130 is in communication.In some cases, the computing system 130 might include, but is notlimited to, at least one of a server computer remote from the wearablecontrol device, a gateway device, a human interface device, a cloudcomputing system, or a distributed computing system that integratescomputing resources from two or more user devices of the plurality ofuser devices, and/or the like. In some instances, the network 135 mightinclude, without limitation, one of a fiber network, an Ethernetnetwork, a Token-Ring™ network, a wide-area network (“WAN”), a wirelesswide area network (“WWAN”), a virtual private network (“VPN”), theInternet, an intranet, an extranet, a public switched telephone network(“PSTN”), an infra-red network, a wireless network operating under anyof the IEEE 802.11 suite of protocols, the Bluetooth™ protocol known inthe art, the Z-Wave protocol known in the art, the ZigBee protocol orother IEEE 802.15.4 suite of protocols known in the art, and/or anyother wireless protocol, and/or any combination of these and/or othernetworks. In a particular embodiment, the network 135 might include anaccess network of the service provider (e.g., an Internet serviceprovider (“ISP”)), or the like. The one or more telecommunications relaysystems 140 might include, without limitation, one or more wirelessnetwork interfaces (e.g., wireless modems, wireless access points, andthe like), one or more towers, one or more satellites, and/or the like.According to some embodiments, one or more of the wearable controldevice 105, user devices 120, and/or the IoT-capable sensors 125 mighteach comprise a software-defined multiple radio device or other multipleradio device (e.g., multiple radio devices that comprise multiplephysical layer chipsets or the like) that allows each of these devicesto simultaneously operate in several standards and frequencies,including, but not limited to, Wi-Fi, LTE, IoT standards (like 6LowPAN,LoRa, etc.). In this manner, these devices might each serve as an accesspoint, small cell, and IoT base, simultaneously, with the same RFtransmit stage. The multiple radio device functionality andimplementation are described in detail in the '7086 and '878applications, which have already been incorporated herein by referencein their entirety.

In some embodiments, the system 100 might further comprise a data storeor data lake 145 that stores information regarding the wearable controldevice 105, information regarding the user devices 120, informationregarding the IoT-capable sensors 125, information regardingcommunications amongst these devices and sensors, information regardingdata exchanged between the user 110 and the wearable control device 105,information regarding the network, information regarding communicationsbetween the computing system 130 and each of the wearable control device105, the user devices 120, and the IoT-capable sensors 125, and/or thelike. Any sensitive information, such as personal information about theuser or other sensitive data might be encrypted prior to anycommunications with other devices, and in some cases may be encryptedprior to storing on the local data stores of the devices. In someembodiments, quantum security methods may be utilized to protect dataand user privacy.

In some cases, the system 100 might further comprise an analytics engine150 and an associated database 155 that together analyze and track (orrecord) non-sensitive communications amongst the various components ofsystem 100 (i.e., the wearable control device 105, the user 110, theuser devices 120, the IoT-capable sensors 125, the computing system 130,and/or the like) to identify trends as well as to identify potentialissues with communications or efficiency of the system, and/or the like,the results of which might cause the computing system 130 to sendsoftware updates to affected or applicable ones of the wearable controldevice 105, the user devices 120, the IoT-capable sensors 125, and/orthe like). In some embodiments, the database 155 might also containprofiles regarding how the wearable control device is to respond (or howIoT-capable sensors are to respond) under certain conditionscommunicated to the analytics engine 150 from the user devices 120, theIoT sensors 125, and/or the wearable control device 105.

The machine-to-machine communications between the wearable controldevice 105 and each of the user devices 120 a-120 n, between thewearable control device 105 and each of the IoT-capable sensors 125a-125 n are represented in FIG. 1 by the lightning bolt symbols, whichin some cases denotes wireless communications (although, in someinstances, need not be wireless, but can be wired communications). Insome instances, each IoT-capable sensor of the plurality of IoT-capablesensors 125 a-125 n and each user device of the plurality of userdevices 120 a-120 n, as well as the wearable control device 105) mightbe assigned a unique IPv6 identifier or the like that enables secure andnon-confused communications with particular IoT-capable sensors orsensors (as no two devices or sensors will have the same identifier). Insome cases, the IPv6 identifiers may be used together with otheridentifiers for the same device. In some instances, such identificationcapability can simplify device registration and/or can be used tofacilitate machine-to-machine communications, machine-to-networkcommunications, and/or the like.

According to some embodiments, one or more application programminginterfaces (“APIs”) might be established between the wearable controldevice 105 and each of the user devices 120 a-120 n, and between thewearable control device 105 and each of the IoT-capable sensors 125a-125 n. The APIs facilitate communications with these user devices andthese IoT-capable sensors, which could number in the thousands or more.In some embodiments, artificial intelligence (“AI”) may be utilized inthe wearable control device to improve interactions with the user, aswell as improving machine-to-machine interactions between the wearablecontrol device 105 and each of the user devices 120 a-120 n, and betweenthe wearable control device 105 and each of the IoT-capable sensors 125a-125 n, and to improve utilization of the user devices 120 and theplurality of IoT-capable sensors 125, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the wearable control device 105 might include,without limitation, at least one of a voice interface device (includingone or more speakers and one or more microphones; in some cases withvoice and language recognition; perhaps assisted by any AI functionalitythat is present in the device or the like), abutton/switch/dial/toggle/pointer stick/etc. interface, a gesturecontrol interface (where one or more sets of accelerometers, gyroscopes,location sensors (that senses or determines location based on the sensorreadings), a location beacon (that sends location information to otherdevices, in some cases, in a broadcast, in a unicast, or in a directedtransmission manner, or the like), and/or the like to record particularmotions or gestures that can be designated as command gestures; etc.), atouchscreen user interface, a display interface, a haptic feedbackinterface, a wireless communications interface (that can communicatewith one or more user devices associated with the user), and/or thelike. In other words, through one or more of voice interactions,physical interactions, gesture interactions, and/or user deviceinteractions, or the like, the user can communicate with and interactwith the wearable control device 105 to provide information to thewearable control device, to provide commands to the wearable controldevice for controlling the one or more user devices, to receive sensordata or analyses of sensor data, to receive alerts, to receive feedbackor suggestions, and/or the like.

In operation, the wearable control device 105 (when worn by the user110) might receive at least one first user input indicating which userdevice of a plurality of user devices 120 that the user intends tocontrol. The at least one first user input might comprise at least oneof first gesture input, first voice input, or first touch input, and/orthe like. The wearable control device 105 and/or the computing system130 might identify a first user device 120 of the plurality of userdevices to remotely control based at least in part on the received atleast one first user input. The wearable device 105 might establishwireless communication with the identified first user device 120, andmight reconfigure a user interface of the wearable control device 105 toprovide, to the user 110, a first set of command options that arecustomized for controlling the first user device 120. The wearablecontrol device 105 might subsequently receive at least one second userinput indicating which functionalities of a first plurality offunctionalities of the first user device the user intends to invoke. Theat least one second user input might comprise at least one of secondgesture input, second voice input, or second touch input, and/or thelike. The wearable control device 105 and/or the computing system 130might identify one or more first functionalities of the first pluralityof functionalities of the first user device to invoke based at least inpart on the received at least one second user input, and might generateone or more first command instructions for the first user device 120,based at least in part on the identified one or more firstfunctionalities of the first user device. The wearable control devicemight subsequently send the generated one or more first commandinstructions to cause the first user device 120 to perform the one ormore first functionalities.

In some embodiments, the wearable control device 105 (when worn by theuser 110) might further receive at least one third user input indicatingwhich other user device of the plurality of user devices 120 that theuser intends to control. The at least one third user input mightcomprise at least one of third gesture input, third voice input, orthird touch input, and/or the like. The wearable control device 105and/or the computing system 130 might identify a second user device 120of the plurality of user devices to remotely control based at least inpart on the received at least one third user input. The wearable device105 might establish wireless communication with the identified seconduser device 120, and might reconfigure the user interface of thewearable control device 105 to provide, to the user 110, a second set ofcommand options that are customized for controlling the second userdevice 120. In some cases, the wearable control device 105 mightconcurrently link with and/or control both the first and second userdevices, and might reconfigure the user interface of the wearablecontrol device 105 to provide, to the user 110, a third set of commandoptions that are customized for controlling both the first user device120 and the second user device 120 (as shown, e.g., in the embodiment ofFIG. 5C or the like). The wearable control device 105 might subsequentlyreceive at least one fourth user input indicating which functionalitiesof a second plurality of functionalities of the second user device theuser intends to invoke. The at least one fourth user input mightcomprise at least one of fourth gesture input, fourth voice input, orfourth touch input, and/or the like. The wearable control device 105and/or the computing system 130 might identify one or more secondfunctionalities of the second plurality of functionalities of the seconduser device to invoke based at least in part on the received at leastone fourth user input, and might generate one or more second commandinstructions for the second user device 120, based at least in part onthe identified one or more second functionalities of the second userdevice. The wearable control device might subsequently send thegenerated one or more second command instructions to cause the seconduser device 120 to perform the one or more second functionalities.

In sum, the various embodiments provide a multifunction remote thatmakes use of one or more of touch screen functionalities, gesture/motioncontrol functionalities, voice control functionalities, and/or othercontrol functionalities, in a form that is wearable. Instead of using amobile device across several software applications (“apps”), thewearable control device described herein might link the various apps (ormight utilize a single user interface to control operations of the userdevices that would otherwise by controlled via the various apps), basedon the user device(s) the wearable control device is currentlyassociated with, linked to, or connected to. In some cases, one or moreof the touch, gesture, or voice control functionalities mightsupplement/complement or augment at least one other of the touch,gesture, or voice control functionalities. For example, gesture controlmight augment or complement voice control—that is, when using voicecontrol to increase or decrease illumination of the lights, the usermight say, “living room lights,” while gesturing upward with his or herhand or finger(s) of the arm on which the wearable control device isworn (to increase illumination of the living room lights) or gesturingdownward with his or her hand or finger(s) (to decrease illumination ofthe living room lights, up to the point of turning off the living roomlights). Similarly, to select media content (e.g., video content, audiocontent, gaming content, image content, etc.) to be presented with, theuser might say, “show me ______ content” (e.g., “show me Rogue Warscontent” or “show me Master of the Rings content”) and a list of such______ content (e.g., Rogue Wars video, audio, image, or game; or Masterof the Rings video, audio, image, or game) might be displayed,selectable by the user gesturing (or swiping) left, right, top, or down(with the finger or hand of the arm on which the wearable control deviceis worn) to control a cursor to move left, right, top, or down,respectively, or pointing with his or her finger or hand (of the arm onwhich the wearable control device is worn) to move the cursor in thedirection of where the user is pointing or to move the cursor to aparticular content within the list of content to which the user ispointing, and/or the like. The user might then say, “play,” or mighttouch a play icon displayed on the user interface of the user device orwearable control device, to play the particular selected content. Ingeneral, however, with respect to cursor control and selection, the usermight point with his or her finger or hand (of the arm on which thewearable control device is worn) to move the cursor in the direction ofwhere the user is pointing or to move the cursor to highlight an itemwithin the list of items (which could include a list of media content, alist of settings, a list of parameters, a list of options, and/or thelike) to which the user is pointing, and/or the like, and the user mightthen say, “enter,” “select,” or “OK,” or might touch a virtual or softbutton displayed on the user interface of the user device or a physicalbutton (or other physical actuator) on the user device wearable controldevice, to select the particular highlighted item. In this way, thewearable control device might act as an over-the-air wireless mouse orthe like. The user might also use physical actuators on the wearablecontrol device to select one of the listed media content, then eithersay, “play,” or gesturing (with the finger or hand of the arm on whichthe wearable control device is worn) to play (e.g., by double clickingthe air, closing the user's fist, wiggling one or more fingers, or thelike). The user might zoom in or zoom out by saying, “zoom,” and usingthe gesture control by, e.g., moving one or more fingers toward thethumb (of the arm on which the wearable control device is worn) ormoving the one or more fingers away from the thumb (of the arm on whichthe wearable control device is worn), respectively. The user mightrotate a view by saying, “rotate,” while gesturing with two or morefingers and the thumb (of the arm on which the wearable control deviceis worn) or to rotate the forearm (of the arm on which the wearablecontrol device is worn) in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction torotate the displayed view in the clockwise or counter-clockwisedirection, respectively. The user might tilt or pan in a similar manner,by saying, “tilt” or “pan” or “change perspective,” while gesturing hisor her hand relative to his or her wrist (of the arm on which thewearable control device is worn) in the up/down direction or in theleft/right direction (or to control the zoom as described above), or acombination of tilt, pan, and/or zoom, respectively. The user mightwrite, draw, or paint by either selecting using the touch controls ofthe wearable device or the voice controls to write, draw, or paint (orto use a note pad/drawing pad/canvas, etc.), then gesturing with his orher finger(s) or hands (of the arm on which the wearable control deviceis worn) to write the words, draw some people/animal(s)/object(s), orpaint some people/animal(s)/object(s), and/or the like. The user mightplay video games using the gesture control in combination with eitherthe voice control and/or touch control, in a similar manner as one ormore of these non-limiting examples.

Various other uses or implementations may be made to the variousembodiments and examples without departing from the scope of theinvention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer toparticular features or particular uses, the scope of this invention alsoincludes embodiments having different combination of features or uses,and the embodiments that do not include all of the above describedfeatures. In a sense, the wearable control device, which might begenerally ring-shaped (in some cases), might be the one “ring” thatrules them all (i.e., all or at least most user devices within wirelesscommunications range), might be the one “ring” that finds them all(i.e., finds and connects with all or at least most user devices withinwireless communications range), might be the one “ring” that gathersthem all (i.e., gathers at least the functionalities of all or at leastmost user devices within wireless communications range in a single userinterface or the like), and/or might be the one “ring” that in thedarkness (or in the light) binds them (i.e., binds all or at least mostuser devices within wireless communications range into one integrated orconnected user device environment or the like).

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another system 200 forimplementing wearable control functionality, in accordance with variousembodiments. In the non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 2, according to someembodiments, system 200 might comprise a wearable control device 105(which might correspond to wearable control device 105 of system 100 ofFIG. 1, or the like) that might include, without limitation, one or moreprocessors 205 (which in some cases might include an artificialintelligence (“AI”) system or module 210 (optional)), one or more datastores or computer readable storage media 215, one or morecommunications transceivers 220, one or more audio input/output (“I/O”)devices 225 (which might include, but are not limited to, at least oneof one or more microphones or audio sensors 230 a-230 n (collectively,“microphones 230” or “audio sensors 230”), one or more speakers 235, oneor more sound amplitude detectors (not shown), one or more soundfrequency detectors (not shown), or one or more voice recognitiondevices (not shown), and/or the like), one or morebuttons/switches/dials/toggles/pointer stick/etc. 240 (collectively,“buttons 240”) (optional), one or more touchscreen display devices 245(which in some cases might include flexible organic light emitting diode(“FoLED”) displays or similar flexible displays, etc.) (optional), oneor more LED/display devices 250 (optional), one or more other I/Odevices 255 (optional), one or more accelerometers 260 (e.g., forfitness tracking, fall detection, gesture input, etc.) (optional), oneor more gyroscopes 265 (e.g., for gesture input, etc.) (optional), oneor more motion sensors 270 (e.g., for gesture input, etc.) (optional),one or more rotation sensors 275 (e.g., for gesture input, etc.)(optional), one or more altitude sensors 280 (e.g., for gesture input,etc.) (optional), one or more biometric sensors 285 (e.g., forauthenticating the user 110 and/or commands issued by a person incontrol of the wearable control device 105, etc.) (optional), and one ormore other sensors 290 (optional).

The one or more other I/O devices 255, in some cases, might include,without limitation, at least one of the following sets of components: acombination of one or more microphones, one or more speakers (whichmight be built-in speakers or external speakers connected through anaudio jack or the like), one or more audio processors, and/or the likefor voice interface functionality; one or more of at least one button,at least one touchscreen user interface, at least one display interface,and/or the like for touch interface functionality; one or morevibration, pressure, or force transducers and/or one or more pressuresensors that enable haptic feedback interface functionality; one or morewireless transceivers that communicate with one or more user devicesassociated with the user using any one or a combination of the wirelessprotocols described herein (including, but not limited to, 2.4 GHz or 5GHz WiFi, Bluetooth, Z-wave, ZigBee, etc.) for wireless communicationinterface functionality; and/or the like. In some cases, thecommunications transceivers 220 might provide communications (eitherwired or wireless) between the wearable control device 105 and thecomputing system 130 via network(s) 135, might providemachine-to-machine communications (either wired or wireless) between thewearable control device 105 and each of the user devices 120, mightprovide machine-to-machine communications (either wired or wireless)between the wearable control device 105 and each of the IoT-capablesensors 125, and/or the like.

According to some embodiments, the one or more other sensors 290 mightinclude, without limitation, one or more physical or physiologicalcondition monitors, one or more temperature sensors (e.g., heat sensors,infrared sensors, thermometers, ambient temperature sensors, skintemperature sensors, etc.), one or more light sensors (e.g., ambientlight sensors, luminosity sensors, illuminance sensors, solar lightsensors, etc.), one or more pressure sensors (e.g., atmospheric pressuresensors, water pressure sensors (when underwater), etc.), one or moreair quality sensors (e.g., CO sensors, toxic gas sensors, pollutionsensors, etc.), one or more humidity sensors, one or more toxicitysensors (e.g., skin toxicity monitors, gas toxicity monitors, liquidtoxicity monitors, poison detectors, carcinogen detectors, etc.), one ormore location sensors (e.g., global positioning system (“GPS”) devices,global navigation satellite system (“GNSS”) devices, relative positionsensors, other location sensors, etc.), a flame detector, a particulatesensor, an atmospheric oxygen level monitor, an atmospheric carbondioxide level monitor, an atmospheric nitrogen level monitor, a smokedetector, a radiation sensor, a telecommunications signal sensor, one ormore proximity sensors (e.g., for sensing proximity to user devices, toIoT-devices, to emergency response devices, to safe zone transponders,to other locations, etc.), a location beacon (that broadcasts orotherwise transmits location information of the object within which thebeacon is disposed), an object identifier beacon (that broadcasts orotherwise transmits object identification or identifier information torequesting devices or the like), a weather sensor, or a seismic sensor,and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the user might speak with the wearable controldevice 105 to set particular modes, to provide information to thewearable control device 105, to provide commands to the wearable controldevice 105 to remotely control one or more user devices 120 (eitherconcurrently or serially), to receive alerts as to the status of theuser devices 120 and/or the communications connections with the userdevices 120, and/or the like. Alternatively, or additionally, the usermight interact with the wearable control device 105 via one or more ofat least one button, at least one touchscreen user interface, at leastone display interface to perform one or more of these functions. Inanother alternative or additional embodiment, the user might interactwith the wearable control device 105 via haptic feedback interface, withone or more vibration, pressure, or force transducers providing hapticfeedback to the user as a means of provide the user with the alerts,suggestions, notifications, and updates, while one or more pressuresensors might sense (and interpret) the user's response, commands, etc.In some embodiments, the user might use the wearable control device 105to interact with one or more user devices 120 via other user devices(including, but not limited to, a tablet computer, a smart phone, amobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a desktop computer, atelevision, a set-top box, a gaming console, a portable gaming device, ahuman interface device (such as the IoT human interface device asdescribed in detail in the '764 and '710 applications, which havealready been incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), and/orthe like) that are associated with the user and that are in wirelesscommunication with the wearable control device 105.

The wearable control device 105, the user 110, the user devices 120, theIoT-capable sensors 125, the computing system 130, and the network 135of system 200 in FIG. 2 are otherwise similar, if not identical, to thewearable control device 105, the users 110, the user devices 120, theIoT-capable sensors 125, the computing system 130, and the network 135,respectively, of system 100 in FIG. 1, and the descriptions of thesecomponents of system 100 are applicable to the corresponding componentsof system 200, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another system 300 forimplementing wearable control functionality, in accordance with variousembodiments. In particular, FIG. 3 depicts various examples ofIoT-capable sensors 310 and various examples of user devices 315 withwhich the wearable control device 305 communicates. Some IoT-capablesensors 310, in some cases, also communicate with some user devices 315.Although lightning bolt symbols are used to denote wirelesscommunications between two or more of the wearable control device 305,the IoT-capable sensors 310, and the user devices 315, the variousembodiments are not so limited, and wired as well as wirelesscommunications may be used. In any event, at least some communicationswould be autonomous machine-to-machine communications, while somecommunications would be user-initiated (or user-instructed)machine-to-machine communications. In some embodiments, multiplewearable control devices 305 may be implemented in place of, orcomplementary to, a single wearable control device 305 (not shown).

In some embodiments, the wearable control device 305 might include, butis not limited to, one or more input/output (“I/O”) devices 305 a andone or more remote control systems 305 b, and/or the like. The one ormore I/O devices 305 a might include, without limitation, at least oneof one or more gesture input devices, one or more voice input devices,or one or more touch input devices, and/or the like. The one or moregesture input devices, in some cases, might include, without limitation,at least one of one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, oneor more motion sensors, one or more location sensors, one or morealtitude sensors, one or more tilt sensors, or one or more rotationsensors, and/or the like. The one or more voice input devices, in someinstances, might include, but are not limited to, at least one of one ormore microphones, one or more sound amplitude detectors, one or moresound frequency detectors, or one or more voice recognition devices,and/or the like. The one or more touch input devices, in someembodiments, might include, without limitation, at least one of apointer stick (or finger-controlled joystick), one or more touchscreendisplays, one or more buttons, one or more switches, one or moretoggles, or one or more dials, and/or the like. In some cases, the oneor more remote control systems 305 b might comprise communicationstransceivers (which might correspond to communications transceivers 220of system 200 of FIG. 2, or the like), which might be configured toprovide wireless communications with one or more user devices of theplurality of user devices, the wireless communications comprising atleast one of machine-to-machine Internet of Things (“IoT”)communications, Bluetooth communications, Z-wave communications, ZigBeecommunications, or WiFi communications, and/or the like. In some cases,the one or more remote control systems 305 b might comprise one or moreAPIs established between the wearable control device 305 and each of atleast one of the one or more user device 315, one or more APIsestablished between the wearable control device 305 and each of at leastone of the one or more IoT-capable sensors 310, and/or the like.

According to some embodiments, the IoT-capable sensors 310 mightinclude, without limitation, one or more temperature sensors 310 a(e.g., heat sensors, infrared sensors, thermometers, etc.), one or morelight sensors 310 b (e.g., ambient light sensors, luminosity sensors,illuminance sensors, solar light sensors, etc.), one or more humiditysensors 310 c, one or more air quality sensors 310 d, one or more motionsensors 310 e, one or more biometric sensors 310 f (e.g., finger printsensor, retinal sensor, pupil sensor, palm print sensor, facialrecognition sensor, voice recognition sensor, etc.), one or morelocation sensors 310 g (e.g., global positioning system (“GPS”) devices,global navigation satellite system (“GNSS”) devices, other locationsensors, etc.), one or more other sensors 310 h, and/or the like. Insome instances, the one or more other sensors 310 h might include, butare not limited to, a flame detector, a particulate sensor, anatmospheric oxygen level monitor, an atmospheric carbon dioxide levelmonitor, an atmospheric nitrogen level monitor, an atmospheric pressuresensor, an environmental carbon monoxide sensor, a smoke detector, oneor more toxicity sensors (e.g., gas toxicity, liquid toxicity, poisondetectors, carcinogen detectors, etc.), a radiation sensor, atelecommunications signal sensor, a sound amplitude sensor, a frequencysensor, a location beacon, an object identifier beacon, a weathersensor, a wind sensor, or a seismic sensor, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the user devices 315, some of which might includeone or more IoT-capable sensors 310, might include, without limitation,one or more display devices 315 a (including, but not limited to, one ormore televisions, one or more monitors, one or more display screens, oneor more projection displays, and/or the like), one or more speakers 315b, one or more media recording or playback devices 315 c, one or morehousehold appliances 315 d (including, but not limited to, one or moreautomated vacuum machines, one or more automated mopping machines, oneor more other cleaning drones, a clothes washing machine, a clothesdryer, and/or the like), one or more kitchen appliances 315 e(including, but not limited to, a microwave oven, a refrigerator, anoven, a range, a stove, an induction cooktop, a pressure cooker, a ricecooker, a bread maker, a coffee machine, a kettle, a dishwasher, a foodthermometer, and/or the like), one or more lighting systems 315 f, oneor more automated door locking systems 315 g, one or more automated dooropening or closing systems 315 h (e.g., front door opening or closingsystem, patio door opening or closing system, side door opening orclosing system, room door opening or closing system, garage door openingor closing system, etc.), one or more automated window locking systems315 i, one or more automated window opening or closing systems 315 j,one or more smart windows 315 k, one or more window covering controlsystems 315 l, one or more customer premises security systems 315 m, oneor more customer premises environmental control systems 315 n (e.g.,thermostat, building HVAC control system, or the like), one or moreelectrical outlets/power strips/dimmer switches/data ports/etc. 315 o,one or more vehicles 315 p, one or more mobile user devices 315 q,and/or one or more other user devices 315 r. In some cases, the one ormore other user devices 315 r might include, without limitation, one ormore clocks, one or more sprinkler systems, one or more medical devices,one or more fitness trackers, one or more exercise equipment, a solarcell or solar cell array, one or more dedicated remote control devices,one or more universal remote control devices, a telephone system, one ormore other communications systems, a personal digital assistant, adesktop computer, a set-top box (“STB”), a gaming console, an imagecapture device, a video capture device, a printer, a scanner, an imageprojection device, a video projection device, one or more officedevices, an audio headset, earbuds, virtual reality goggles or headset,augmented reality goggles or headset, an IoT management node, or an IoThuman interface device (such as an IoT human interface device asdescribed in detail in the '764 and '710 applications, which havealready been incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), and/orthe like. According to some embodiments, the mobile user device 315 qmight include, without limitation, at least one of a laptop computer, atablet computer, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a portable gamingdevice, and/or the like.

The wearable control device 305, the IoT-capable sensors 310, and theuser devices 315 are otherwise similar, if not identical, to thewearable control device 105, the user devices 120, and IoT-capablesensors 125, respectively, as described above with respect to FIGS. 1and 2, and the descriptions of these components of system 300 areapplicable to the corresponding components of system 100 or 200,respectively.

FIGS. 4A and 4B (collectively, “FIG. 4”) are schematic diagramsillustrating various views of an exemplary embodiment of a wearablecontrol device 400, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 4Adepicts a front plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a wearablecontrol device 400 (which is illustrated as a bangle, a bracelet, orbracer, or the like). FIG. 4B depicts a side view of the wearablecontrol device 400 as shown along the A-A direction as indicated in FIG.4A. Although the wearable control device 400 is shown as taking the formof a bangle, a bracelet, or bracer, or the like, the various embodimentsare not so limited, and the wearable control device 400 may take on anysuitable form or shape, including, but not limited to, a wrist watch, asmart watch, a wrist band, a gauntlet, a wrist strap, a finger ring, ahead band, or a glove, and/or the like.

In the non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 4A, the wearable control device400 might comprise a housing 405 (which, in this case, is in the form ofa band or wrist band, or the like), a first segment 410 a, a secondsegment 410 b, a third segment 410 c, and a pair of metal side bands 415(which, in this case, is formed on either side of the housing 405 (i.e.,the band or wrist band) to provide structural support or strength,etc.), and/or the like. The first segment 410 a, according to someembodiments, might house at one processor, which might be mounted oncircuit board 420 on which is also mounted other electronics andcircuitry for the wearable control device 400. In some instances, thecircuit board might comprise a flexible circuit board (or printablecircuit board) that is configured to flex when the housing 405 (in thiscase, the band or wrist band, etc.) is flexed when worn or used by theuser. The second segment 410 b, in some embodiments, might house adisplay device 425 (which might correspond to the one or moretouchscreen display devices 245 or the one or more LED/display devices250 of system 200 of FIG. 2, or the like), which, in some cases, mightbe a touchscreen display and, in other cases, might be a flexibletouchscreen display (e.g., a flexible organic light emitting diode(“FoLED”) display or the like). The third segment 410 c, in someinstances, might house one or more user selection devices 430,including, but not limited to, at least one of one or more physicalactuators (e.g., physical buttons, switches, dials, toggles, a pointerstick, and/or the like; which might correspond to the one or morebuttons/switches/dials/toggles/pointer stick/etc. 240 of system 200 ofFIG. 2, or the like), one or more touchscreen display inputs (e.g.,virtual or soft buttons, switches, dials, toggles, pointer stick, and/orthe like), and/or the like for providing the user with options to selecta mode of the wearable control device (e.g., to change from a remotecontroller mode to a gesture control mode, and vice versa, to changefrom/to a watch (or time piece) mode, to change from/to a voice inputmode, to select a programming mode (to program quick keys, keywords,sets of commands for controlling multiple devices (as well as thesequences and parameters for each task by each device), sets of commandsfor controlling a single device to perform multiple tasks (as well asthe sequences and parameters for each task by each device), sets ofcommands to control each of multiple devices to perform multiple tasks(as well as the sequences and parameters for each task by each device)),to select a volume for output by the wearable control device (or by auser device(s) being controlled), to select mute mode for the wearablecontrol device (or by a user device(s) being controlled), to select anoption in a top-down list, in a side-to-side list, or in anothertwo-dimensionally displayed list that is displayed on a display device(e.g., touchscreen display 425) of the wearable control device 400and/or displayed on a display device on each of one or more of the userdevices being remotely controlled by the wearable control device 400,and/or the like.

With reference to FIG. 4B, the wearable control device 400 (at least inthe non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 4) might further comprise a fourthsegment 410 d, a fifth segment 410 e, and a sixth segment 410 f, and/orthe like. In some cases, the fourth segment 410 d, might house one ormore communications systems 435 (which might correspond tocommunications transceivers 220 of system 200 of FIG. 2, or the like),including, without limitation, at least one of one or more Bluetooth™antennas, one or more Z-Wave antennas, one or more ZigBee antennas, oneor more Wi-Fi antennas, one or more communications signal sensors (e.g.,radio sensors, etc.; which might correspond to the telecommunicationssignal sensor as described with respect to the other sensors 290 ofsystem 200 of FIG. 2 or the like), and/or the like.

The fifth segment 410 e, in some embodiments, might house one or moreother sensors or other hardware 440, including, but not limited to, oneor more of one or more microphones or audio sensors (which mightcorrespond to the one or more microphones or audio sensors 230 a-230 nof system 200 of FIG. 2 or the like), one or more speakers (which mightcorrespond to speakers 235 of system 200 of FIG. 2 or the like), one ormore sound amplitude detectors (not shown), one or more sound frequencydetectors (not shown), or one or more voice recognition devices (notshown), one or more accelerometers (which might correspond to the one ormore accelerometers 260 of system 200 of FIG. 2 or the like), one ormore gyroscopes (which might correspond to the one or more gyroscopes265 of system 200 of FIG. 2 or the like), one or more motion sensors(which might correspond to the one or more motion sensors 270 of system200 of FIG. 2 or the like), one or more rotation sensors (which mightcorrespond to the one or more rotation sensors 275 of system 200 of FIG.2 or the like), one or more altitude sensors (which might correspond tothe one or more altitude sensors 280 of system 200 of FIG. 2 or thelike), one or more biometric sensors (which might correspond to the oneor more biometric sensors 285 of system 200 of FIG. 2 or the like),and/or one or more other sensors or hardware, and/or the like. The oneor more other sensors or hardware, in some cases, might include, withoutlimitation, one or more physical or physiological condition monitors,one or more temperature sensors, one or more light sensors, one or morepressure sensors, one or more air quality sensors, one or more humiditysensors, one or more toxicity sensors, one or more location sensors, aflame detector, a particulate sensor, an atmospheric oxygen levelmonitor, an atmospheric carbon dioxide level monitor, an atmosphericnitrogen level monitor, a smoke detector, a radiation sensor, one ormore proximity sensors, a location beacon, an object identifier beacon,a weather sensor, or a seismic sensor, and/or the like (which mightcorrespond to the one or more physical or physiological conditionmonitors, the one or more temperature sensors, the one or more lightsensors, the one or more pressure sensors, the one or more air qualitysensors, the one or more humidity sensors, the one or more toxicitysensors, the one or more location sensors, the flame detector, theparticulate sensor, the atmospheric oxygen level monitor, theatmospheric carbon dioxide level monitor, the atmospheric nitrogen levelmonitor, the smoke detector, the radiation sensor, the one or moreproximity sensors, the location beacon, the object identifier beacon,the weather sensor, or the seismic sensor, as described with respect tothe other sensors 290 of system 200 of FIG. 2 or the like).

The sixth segment 410 f, according to some embodiments, might house oneor more batteries 445, which might be removable or non-removable, andwhich might have contact charging points that are exposed along thehousing 405 that mate with corresponding contact charging points on anexternal battery charging device or might have a built-in wirelesscharging system (which, in some cases, might utilize inductive chargingtechniques or the like).

Merely by way of example, in some embodiments, the wearable controldevice might further comprise one or more flex points 450 (depicted inFIG. 4B by double dashed lines that diverge radially outward from thegenerally circular or ovoid form of the bangle/bracelet/bracer form ofthe embodiment of the wearable control device 400 of FIG. 4) that allowthe housing 405 of the wearable control device 400 to flex to allow theuser to removably wear the wearable control device 400. For example,with the bangle/bracelet/bracer form of the wearable control device 400,as shown, e.g., in FIG. 4, the flex points 450 allow the band or wristband 405 to flex so that the user can fit his or her wrist between therubber tips 455 of the band or wrist band 405. In some cases, the one ormore flex points 450 might be disposed between adjacent pairs of each ofthe one or more segments 410 a-410 f (i.e., between the sixth and firstsegments 410 f and 410 a, respectively, between the first and secondsegments 410 a and 410 b, respectively, between the second and thirdsegments 410 b and 410 c, respectively, between the third and fourthsegments 410 c and 410 d, respectively, and between the fourth and fifthsegments 410 d and 410 e, respectively), while, in other cases, the oneor more flex points 450 might be disposed between one or more (but notall) adjacent pairs of each of the one or more segments 410 a-410 f(i.e., one or more (but not all) of between the sixth and first segments410 f and 410 a, respectively, between the first and second segments 410a and 410 b, respectively, between the second and third segments 410 band 410 c, respectively, between the third and fourth segments 410 c and410 d, respectively, and/or between the fourth and fifth segments 410 dand 410 e, respectively). In some cases, the flex points 450 mightcomprise an elastomeric or plastic material that is different from thematerial of the band or wrist band 405, the elastomeric or plasticmaterial configured (in its rest state) to have a compressible spacingalong the outer circumference or outer side of the housing 405 (i.e.,the side facing away from the body of the user (when worn by the user)or the side on which the display devices 425 and the user selectiondevices 430 face the user, etc.) and a thinner portion along the innercircumference or inner side of the housing 405 (i.e., the side facing,touching, or next to the body of the user (when worn by the user) or theside opposite the side on which the display devices 425 and the userselection devices 430 face the user, etc.). Alternatively, oradditionally, the flex points 450 might each comprise one or more slitsformed in the outer side of the housing 405, which might be made of atleast one of a molded-over compound, rubber, elastomeric material,plastic material, and/or the like. In some cases, the metal side bands415 might hold the form of the housing 405 (with or without theelastomeric or plastic material that is compressibly disposed along theouter circumference or outer side of the housing 405, and that may bedisposed within the one or more slits, both of which are as describedabove). As shown in FIG. 4, the flex points 450 might, in someinstances, span just the housing 405, without extending in the area ofthe metal side bands 415. Alternatively, in some cases, the one or moreflex points 450 might be extended laterally into the area of the metalside bands 415—that is, each flex point 450 might span both the housing405 portion and the portions of the metal side bands 415—, so that themetal side bands 415 and the housing 405 both simultaneously flex orflex together at each of the flex points 450.

As mentioned above, although the wearable control device 400 is shown ashaving the form of a bangle, bracelet, or bracer, etc., the wearablecontrol device 400 might have any suitable form, including, but notlimited to, that of a wrist watch, a smart watch, a wrist band, agauntlet, a wrist strap, a finger ring, a head band, or a glove, and/orthe like, which might have any suitable number of segments 410 and anysuitable number of flex points 450, and may or may not comprise the pairof metal side bands 415. In some cases, depending on the form factor ofthe wearable control device 400, the two or more of the segments 410a-410 f (and the respective components housed therein) might be combinedinto a single segment, so that the total number of segments might beless than the six segments described with respect to the non-limitingembodiment of FIG. 4. Alternatively, also depending on the form factorof the wearable control device 400, the one or more of the segments 410a-410 f (and the respective components housed therein) might each besplit into two or more segments, so that the total number of segmentsmight be more than the six segments described with respect to thenon-limiting embodiment of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 5A-5C (collectively, “FIG. 5”) are schematic diagrams illustratingvarious user interfaces on the exemplary wearable control device 400 ofFIG. 4A for implementing various exemplary embodiments 500, 500′, and500″ for remotely controlling various user devices, in accordance withvarious embodiments. In the non-limiting embodiments of FIG. 5, the userinterfaces on the display device 425 (which, in this case, comprises atouchscreen display, which might be a flexible or curved touchscreendisplay, or the like) might comprise a header portion 505 that mightdisplay icons indicating the status of the wearable control device,including, but not limited to, what device(s) are currently beingremotely controlled by the wearable control device 400 (e.g., atelevision as indicated by the television icon in header portion 505 inembodiment 500, a room lights as indicated by the light bulb icon inheader portion 505 in embodiment 500′, both the television and the roomlights as indicated by the television and light bulb icons in headerportion 505 in embodiment 500″, a speaker (or music playback device) asindicated by the speaker icon in header portion as shown in FIG. 4A,and/or the like). The header portion 505 might further displayconnectivity icons, including, without limitation, link icons indicatingconnectivity with one user device (as shown in the embodiments of FIGS.5A, 5B, and 4A, or the like) or with two user devices (as shown in theembodiment of FIG. 5C, or the like), Z-Wave icons indicatingconnectivity via Z-Wave connection (as shown in the embodiments of FIGS.5A and 5C), Bluetooth icons indicating connectivity via Bluetoothconnection (as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 5B and 5C), WiFi iconsindicating connectivity via WiFi connection (as shown in the embodimentof FIG. 4A), and/or other suitable connectivity icons, or the like.

In general, depending on the user devices with which the wearablecontrol device 400 is currently paired or connected/linked, the wearablecontrol device 400 might display user interfaces that are customized tothe single connected/controlled user device or to a combination or twoor more connected/controlled user devices, and might provide the userwith options to play video content (as shown by play icon 510 a in FIG.5A), to play music or other audio content (as shown by the play icon inFIG. 4A), to pause video content (as shown by pause icon 510 b in FIG.5C), to change the volume or set mute mode (as shown by the volume baricons 515 in FIGS. 5A and 5C, and a similar volume bar icon in FIG. 4A),to change illumination levels (as shown by light, illumination, ordimmer bar icon 525 in FIGS. 5B and 5C), and/or the like. The userinterfaces might, in some cases, indicate the titles of the mediacontent being displayed on the remotely controlled device (e.g., asdepicted by the title icon 520 in FIGS. 5A and 5C, or a similar titleicon in FIG. 4A, or the like), or might indicate the user device(s)being controlled (e.g., as depicted by the device name icon 530 in FIG.5B). Although the user interfaces are depicted in FIGS. 4A, 5A, 5B, and5C as remotely controlling a music or audio playback device, atelevision (or video playback device), room lights, and a combination ofthe television (or video playback device) and room lights, respectively,the various embodiments are not so limited, and the user interfacesmight comprise controls or options, including, without limitation,vacuuming the floors of one or more rooms, mopping the floors of one ormore rooms, dusting or otherwise cleaning one or more rooms, settingcleaning cycles for washing clothing, setting drying cycles for dryingclothing, setting cooking cycles for microwavable food, settingtemperature and alert settings for refrigerator temperature and filterchanges (and in smart refrigerators, setting alerts for when some foodsas monitored by the smart refrigerators expire or are almost used up,thus requiring replenishment or replacement), setting oven temperaturesand times, setting cooking temperatures and times for electric or gasstoves, setting cooking temperatures and times for induction cookers,setting cooking temperature, pressure, and times for pressure cooking,setting cooking temperature and times for making rice, setting bakingtemperature and times for bread-making, setting times for finishingcoffee (or tea) brewing, heating water or maintaining particular watertemperature, setting cleaning cycles for dishes and utensils, settingalerts for food temperatures, locking or unlocking particular doors,remotely opening or closing particular doors (e.g., front door, patiodoor, side door, room door, garage door, etc.), remotely locking orunlocking particular windows, remotely opening or closing particularwindows, setting options for smart window functionalities, remotelyopening or closing window coverings (e.g., vertical blinds, venetianblinds, shutters, etc.) or setting times and orientations foropening/closing window coverings, setting security alarms and settings(or simply authorizing particular guests to enter through particulardoors at particular times; setting parameters for motion detectors andsecurity cameras; or viewing security cameras; etc.), changing thetemperature, fan settings, and times (or setting programs fortemperature, fan settings, and times) for particular rooms or the entirebuilding, controlling user devices (e.g., non-IoT devices ornon-wireless/non-remotely-controlled devices) that are plugged intoparticular electrical outlets/power strips/dimmer switches/dataports/etc., remotely controlling vehicle operations (e.g., driving,navigation, parking, etc.) or alerts for vehicle components (e.g., fuelalerts, low fluid alerts, low tire pressure alerts, alerts for caralarm, etc.), remotely controlling mobile device functionalities,setting clock time or alarm times, setting sprinkler zones, duration,and start times, setting alerts for particular health-relatedthresholds, setting alerts and parameters for activity tracking, settingparameters and alerts for exercise equipment use, setting notificationsfor solar energy generation, remotely controlling devices that arecontrollable only by dedicated remote controllers, remotely controllingdevices that are controllable only by dedicated and particular universalremote controllers (or remotely controlling multiple devices that arecontrolled by a single universal remote controller), remotelycommunicating via an external telephone system, remotely communicatingvia an external communications system (other than telephone), remotelycontrolling desktop computer functionalities, remotely controllingset-top box (“STB”) functionalities, remotely controlling gaming consolefunctionalities, remotely controlling image capture devicefunctionalities, remotely controlling video capture devicefunctionalities, remotely controlling printer functionalities, remotelycontrolling scanner functionalities, remotely controlling imageprojection functionalities, remotely controlling video projectionfunctionalities, remotely controlling office device functionalities,remotely controlling audio settings for an audio headset, remotelycontrolling audio settings for earbuds, remotely controlling settingsand parameters for virtual reality functionalities, remotely controllingsettings and parameters for augmented reality functionalities, remotelycontrolling settings and parameters for an IoT manager, or remotelycontrolling or communicating with an external human interface device,and/or the like, for remotely controlling user devices, including, butnot limited to, an automated vacuum machine, an automated moppingmachine, a cleaning drone, a clothes washing machine, a clothes dryer, amicrowave oven, a refrigerator, an oven, a range, a stove, an inductioncooktop, a pressure cooker, a rice cooker, a bread maker, a coffeemachine, a kettle, a dishwasher, a food thermometer, an automated doorlocking system, an automated door opening or closing system, anautomated window locking system, an automated window opening or closingsystem, a smart window, a window covering control system, a customerpremises security system, a customer premises environmental controlsystem, an electrical outlet/power strip/dimmer switch/data port/etc., avehicle, a mobile user device (including, without limitation, at leastone of a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, a mobilephone, a portable gaming device, a personal digital assistant, and/orthe like), a clock, a sprinkler system, a medical device, a fitnesstracker, exercise equipment, a solar cell or solar cell array, adedicated remote control device, a universal remote control device, atelephone system, other communications systems, a desktop computer, aSTB, a gaming console, an image capture device, a video capture device,a printer, a scanner, an image projection device, a video projectiondevice, an office device, an audio headset, earbuds, virtual realitygoggles or headset, augmented reality goggles or headset, an IoTmanagement node, or an IoT human interface device (such as an IoT humaninterface device as described in detail in the '764 and '710applications, which have already been incorporated herein by referencein their entirety), and/or the like, respectively. Otherfunctionalities, settings, and parameters may be controlled via one ormore appropriate user interfaces for one or more other suitable userdevices, without deviating from the scope of the various embodiments asdescribed herein.

The wearable control device 400 of FIGS. 4 and 5 are otherwise similar,if not identical, to the wearable control devices 105 and 305 asdescribed in detail above with respect to FIGS. 1-3, and thedescriptions of the wearable control devices 105 and 305 of systems100-300 of FIGS. 1-3 are applicable to the corresponding wearablecontrol device 400 of FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively

FIGS. 6A-6D (collectively, “FIG. 6”) are flow diagrams illustrating amethod 600 for implementing wearable control functionality, inaccordance with various embodiments. Method 600 of FIG. 6A continuesonto FIG. 6B following the circular marker denoted, “A,” while method600 of FIG. 6B continues onto FIG. 6C following the circular markerdenoted, “B,” and method 600 of FIG. 6C continues onto FIG. 6D followingthe circular marker denoted, “C.”

While the techniques and procedures are depicted and/or described in acertain order for purposes of illustration, it should be appreciatedthat certain procedures may be reordered and/or omitted within the scopeof various embodiments. For example, the blocks depicted by thedash-long dash borders denote optional processes. Moreover, while themethod 600 illustrated by FIG. 6 can be implemented by or with (and, insome cases, are described below with respect to) the systems 100, 200,and 300 of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, respectively, (or components thereof) orwearable control device 400 of FIGS. 4 and 5 (or components thereof),such methods may also be implemented using any suitable hardware (orsoftware) implementation. Similarly, while each of the systems 100, 200,and 300 of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, respectively, (or components thereof) orwearable control device 400 of FIGS. 4 and 5 (or components thereof),can operate according to the method 600 illustrated by FIG. 6 (e.g., byexecuting instructions embodied on a computer readable medium), thesystems 100, 200, and 300 of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, respectively, orwearable control device 400 of FIGS. 4 and 5 can each also operateaccording to other modes of operation and/or perform other suitableprocedures.

With reference to FIG. 6A, method 600, at block 602, might comprisereceiving, with a wearable control device (which might correspond towearable control devices 105, 305, and 400 of FIGS. 1-5, or the like)worn by a user (which might correspond to users 110 of FIGS. 1 and 2, orthe like) and using at least one user input device of the wearablecontrol device (which might correspond to input devices 115 a-115 n ofFIG. 1, or input/output (“I/O”) devices 225-255 and 305 a of FIGS. 2 and3, or the like)), at least one first user input indicating which userdevice of a plurality of user devices (which might correspond to userdevices 120 a-120 n, 315, and 315 a-315 r of FIGS. 1-3, or the like)that the user intends to control. The at least one first user inputmight comprise at least one of first gesture input, first voice input,or first touch input, and/or the like. In some instances, the wearablecontrol device has a form comprising one of a bracer, a bracelet, awrist watch, a smart watch, a wrist band, a bangle, a gauntlet, a wriststrap, a finger ring, a head band, or a glove, and/or the like. In somecases, the wearable control device might include, without limitation, atleast one of a wrist strap, a clip, a pin, a clasp, an ear-loop, afinger ring, a toe ring, a bangle, a hook and loop-type strap, eyewearstems, a head band, or a buckle, and/or the like, that allows thewearable control device to be removably affixed to at least one of awrist of the user, a portion of skin of the user, a limb of the user, anappendage of the user, a torso of the user, a head of the user, or apiece of clothing worn by the user, and/or the like.

In some cases, the plurality of user devices might include, but is notlimited to, at least one of one or more display devices, one or morespeakers, one or more media recording or playback devices, one or morehousehold appliances, one or more kitchen appliances, one or morelighting systems, one or more automated door locking systems, one ormore automated door opening or closing systems, one or more automatedwindow locking systems, one or more automated window opening or closingsystems, one or more smart windows, one or more window covering controlsystems, one or more customer premises security systems, one or morecustomer premises environmental control systems, one or more electricaloutlets, one or more power strips, one or more dimmer switches, one ormore data ports, one or more clocks, one or more sprinkler systems, oneor more vehicles, one or more mobile user devices, one or more medicaldevices, one or more fitness trackers, or one or more exerciseequipment, and/or the like.

At block 604, method 600 might comprise identifying, with at least oneof the wearable control device or a remote computing system, a firstuser device of the plurality of user devices to remotely control basedat least in part on the received at least one first user input. In someinstances, the remote computing system (which might correspond tocomputing system 130 of system 100 in FIG. 1, or the like) mightinclude, without limitation, at least one of a server computer remotefrom the wearable control device, a gateway device, a human interfacedevice, a cloud computing system, or a distributed computing system thatintegrates computing resources from two or more user devices of theplurality of user devices, and/or the like. In some embodiments,identifying the first user device (at block 604) might compriseanalyzing, with the at least one of the wearable control device or theremote computing system, the at least one first user input by using atleast one of the first gesture input, the first voice input, or thefirst touch input, and/or the like, to augment or complement at leastone other of the first gesture input, the first voice input, or thefirst touch input, and/or the like (at optional block 606).

Method 600 might further comprise, at block 608, establishing, with thewearable control device, wireless communication with the identifiedfirst user device. In some cases, the wireless communication mightinclude, but is not limited to, at least one of machine-to-machineInternet of Things (“IoT”) communications, Bluetooth communications,Z-wave communications, ZigBee communications, or WiFi communications,and/or the like. According to some embodiments, establishing wirelesscommunication with the identified first user device (at block 608) mightcomprise establishing, with the wearable control device, wirelesscommunication with the identified first user device via one or moreapplication programming interfaces (“APIs”) established between thewearable control device and the first user device (at optional block610).

At block 612, method 600 might comprise reconfiguring, with the wearablecontrol device, a user interface of the wearable control device toprovide, to the user, a first set of command options that are customizedfor controlling the first user device (a non-limiting example of whichis shown, e.g., in the embodiment of FIG. 5A). The process then proceedsto block 614 in FIG. 6B, following the circular marker denoted, “A.”

Turning to FIG. 6B, method 600, at block 614, might comprise receiving,with the wearable control device and using the at least one user inputdevice, at least one second user input indicating which functionalitiesof a first plurality of functionalities of the first user device theuser intends to invoke. Merely by way of example, the at least onesecond user input might comprise at least one of second gesture input,second voice input, or second touch input, and/or the like. According tosome embodiments, the at least one user input device might comprise atleast one of one or more gesture input devices, one or more voice inputdevices, or one or more touch input devices, and/or the like. The one ormore gesture input devices, in some cases, might include, withoutlimitation, at least one of one or more accelerometers, one or moregyroscopes, one or more motion sensors, one or more location sensors,one or more altitude sensors, one or more tilt sensors, or one or morerotation sensors, and/or the like. The one or more voice input devices,in some instances, might include, but are not limited to, at least oneof one or more microphones, one or more sound amplitude detectors, oneor more sound frequency detectors, or one or more voice recognitiondevices, and/or the like. The one or more touch input devices, in someembodiments, might include, without limitation, at least one of apointer stick (or finger-controlled joystick), one or more touchscreendisplays, one or more buttons, one or more switches, one or moretoggles, or one or more dials, and/or the like. In some aspects,receiving the at least one first user input (at block 602) mightcomprise receiving, via at least one of the one or more gesture inputdevices, the one or more voice input devices, or the one or more touchinput devices, and/or the like, corresponding at least one of the firstgesture input, the first voice input, or the first touch input, and/orthe like, and receiving the at least one second user input (at block614) might comprise receiving, via at least one of the one or moregesture input devices, the one or more voice input devices, or the oneor more touch input devices, and/or the like, corresponding at least oneof the second gesture input, the second voice input, or the second touchinput, and/or the like.

Method 600, at block 616, might comprise identifying, with the at leastone of the wearable control device or the remote computing system, oneor more first functionalities of the first plurality of functionalitiesof the first user device to invoke based at least in part on thereceived at least one second user input. In some embodiments,identifying the one or more first functionalities of the first userdevice (at block 616) might comprise analyzing, with the at least one ofthe wearable control device or the remote computing system, the at leastone second user input by using at least one of the second gesture input,the second voice input, or the second touch input, and/or the like, toaugment or complement at least one other of the second gesture input,the second voice input, or the second touch input, and/or the like (atoptional block 618). According to some embodiments, identifying thefirst user device (at block 604) and identifying the one or more firstfunctionalities of the first user device (at block 616) might compriseanalyzing, with the at least one of the wearable control device or theremote computing system, the at least one first user input and the atleast one second user input, respectively, using artificial intelligence(“AI”) to improve interactions with the user (at optional block 620). Insome cases, the AI might further be utilized to improvemachine-to-machine interactions and to improve reconfiguration of theuser interface of the wearable control device to provide, to the user,the command options that are customized for controlling the first userdevice.

At block 622, method 600 might comprise generating, with the at leastone of the wearable control device or the remote computing system, oneor more first command instructions for the first user device, based atleast in part on the identified one or more first functionalities of thefirst user device.

Method 600 might further comprise, at block 624, sending, with thewearable control device and via the wireless communication with thefirst user device, the generated one or more first command instructionsto cause the first user device to perform the one or more firstfunctionalities. The process then proceeds to optional block 626 in FIG.6C, following the circular marker denoted, “B.”

With reference to FIG. 6C, method 600, at optional block 626, mightcomprise receiving, with the wearable control device, at least one thirduser input indicating which other user device of the plurality of userdevices that the user intends to control next. The at least one thirduser input might comprise at least one of third gesture input, thirdvoice input, or third touch input, and/or the like.

At optional block 628, method 600 might comprise identifying, with theat least one of the wearable control device or the remote computingsystem, a second user device of the plurality of user devices toremotely control based at least in part on the received at least onethird user input. According to some embodiments, identifying the seconduser device (at optional block 628) might comprise analyzing, with theat least one of the wearable control device or the remote computingsystem, the at least one third user input by using at least one of thethird gesture input, the third voice input, or the third touch input,and/or the like, to augment or complement at least one other of thethird gesture input, the third voice input, or the third touch input,and/or the like (at optional block 630).

Method 600 might further comprise, at optional block 632, establishing,with the wearable control device, wireless communication with theidentified second user device. In some cases, the wireless communicationmight include, but is not limited to, at least one of machine-to-machineInternet of Things (“IoT”) communications, Bluetooth communications,Z-wave communications, ZigBee communications, or WiFi communications,and/or the like. According to some embodiments, establishing wirelesscommunication with the identified second user device (at optional block632) might comprise establishing, with the wearable control device,wireless communication with the identified second user device via one ormore APIs established between the wearable control device and the seconduser device (at optional block 634).

At optional block 636, method 600 might comprise reconfiguring, with thewearable control device, the user interface of the wearable controldevice to provide, to the user, a second set of command options that arecustomized for controlling the second user device (a non-limitingexample of which is shown, e.g., in the embodiment of FIG. 5B). In someembodiments, the wearable control device might concurrently control boththe first user device and the second user device, and method 600 might,at optional block 638, comprise reconfiguring, with the wearable controldevice, the user interface of the wearable control device to provide, tothe user, a third set of command options, the third set of commandoptions comprising a combination of the first set of command optionsthat are customized for controlling the first user device and the secondset of command options that are customized for controlling the seconduser device (a non-limiting example of which is shown, e.g., in theembodiment of FIG. 5C). The process then proceeds to optional block 640in FIG. 6D, following the circular marker denoted, “C.”

Turning to FIG. 6D, method 600, at optional block 640, might comprisereceiving, with the wearable control device, at least one fourth userinput indicating which functionalities of a second plurality offunctionalities of the second user device the user intends to invoke.The at least one fourth user input might comprise at least one of fourthgesture input, fourth voice input, or fourth touch input, and/or thelike.

Method 600, at optional block 642, might comprise identifying, with theat least one of the wearable control device or the remote computingsystem, one or more second functionalities of the second plurality offunctionalities of the second user device to invoke based at least inpart on the received at least one fourth user input. In someembodiments, identifying the one or more second functionalities of thesecond user device (at optional block 642) might comprise analyzing,with the at least one of the wearable control device or the remotecomputing system, the at least one fourth user input by using at leastone of the fourth gesture input, the fourth voice input, or the fourthtouch input, and/or the like, to augment or complement at least oneother of the fourth gesture input, the fourth voice input, or the fourthtouch input, and/or the like (at optional block 644). According to someembodiments, identifying the second user device (at optional block 628)and identifying the one or more second functionalities of the seconduser device (at optional block 642) might comprise analyzing, with theat least one of the wearable control device or the remote computingsystem, the at least one third user input and the at least one fourthuser input, respectively, using AI to improve interactions with the user(at optional block 646). In some cases, the AI might further be utilizedto improve machine-to-machine interactions and to improvereconfiguration of the user interface of the wearable control device toprovide, to the user, the command options that are customized forcontrolling the second user device and/or to provide, to the user, acombination of the command options that are customized for controllingboth the first user device and the second user device.

At optional block 648, method 600 might comprise generating, with the atleast one of the wearable control device or the remote computing system,one or more second command instructions for the second user device,based at least in part on the identified one or more secondfunctionalities of the second user device. Method 600 might furthercomprise, at optional block 650, sending, with the wearable controldevice and via the wireless communication with the second user device,the generated one or more second command instructions to cause thesecond user device to perform the one or more second functionalities.

Exemplary System and Hardware Implementation

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer or systemhardware architecture, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 7provides a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a computer system700 of the service provider system hardware that can perform the methodsprovided by various other embodiments, as described herein, and/or canperform the functions of computer or hardware system (i.e., wearablecontrol devices 105, 305, and 400, input/output (“I/O”) devices 115a-115 n, 225-255 and 305 a, user devices 120 a-120 n, 315, and 315 a-315r, Internet of Things (“IoT”)-capable sensors 125 a-125 n, 310, and 310a-310 h, computing system 130, analytics engine 150, etc.), as describedabove. It should be noted that FIG. 7 is meant only to provide ageneralized illustration of various components, of which one or more (ornone) of each may be utilized as appropriate. FIG. 7, therefore, broadlyillustrates how individual system elements may be implemented in arelatively separated or relatively more integrated manner.

The computer or hardware system 700—which might represent an embodimentof the computer or hardware system (i.e., wearable control devices 105,305, and 400, I/O devices 115 a-115 n, 225-255 and 305 a, user devices120 a-120 n, 315, and 315 a-315 r, IoT-capable sensors 125 a-125 n, 310,and 310 a-310 h, computing system 130, analytics engine 150, etc.),described above with respect to FIGS. 1-6—is shown comprising hardwareelements that can be electrically coupled via a bus 705 (or mayotherwise be in communication, as appropriate). The hardware elementsmay include one or more processors 710, including, without limitation,one or more general-purpose processors and/or one or morespecial-purpose processors (such as microprocessors, digital signalprocessing chips, graphics acceleration processors, and/or the like);one or more input devices 715, which can include, without limitation, amouse, a keyboard, and/or the like; and one or more output devices 720,which can include, without limitation, a display device, a printer,and/or the like.

The computer or hardware system 700 may further include (and/or be incommunication with) one or more storage devices 725, which can comprise,without limitation, local and/or network accessible storage, and/or caninclude, without limitation, a disk drive, a drive array, an opticalstorage device, solid-state storage device such as a random accessmemory (“RAM”) and/or a read-only memory (“ROM”), which can beprogrammable, flash-updateable, and/or the like. Such storage devicesmay be configured to implement any appropriate data stores, including,without limitation, various file systems, database structures, and/orthe like.

The computer or hardware system 700 might also include a communicationssubsystem 730, which can include, without limitation, a modem, a networkcard (wireless or wired), an infra-red communication device, a wirelesscommunication device and/or chipset (such as a Bluetooth™ device, an802.11 device, a WiFi device, a WiMax device, a WWAN device, a Z-Wavedevice, a ZigBee device, cellular communication facilities, etc.),and/or the like. The communications subsystem 730 may permit data to beexchanged with a network (such as the network described below, to nameone example), with other computer or hardware systems, and/or with anyother devices described herein. In many embodiments, the computer orhardware system 700 will further comprise a working memory 735, whichcan include a RAM or ROM device, as described above.

The computer or hardware system 700 also may comprise software elements,shown as being currently located within the working memory 735,including an operating system 740, device drivers, executable libraries,and/or other code, such as one or more application programs 745, whichmay comprise computer programs provided by various embodiments(including, without limitation, hypervisors, VMs, and the like), and/ormay be designed to implement methods, and/or configure systems, providedby other embodiments, as described herein. Merely by way of example, oneor more procedures described with respect to the method(s) discussedabove might be implemented as code and/or instructions executable by acomputer (and/or a processor within a computer); in an aspect, then,such code and/or instructions can be used to configure and/or adapt ageneral purpose computer (or other device) to perform one or moreoperations in accordance with the described methods.

A set of these instructions and/or code might be encoded and/or storedon a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as thestorage device(s) 725 described above. In some cases, the storage mediummight be incorporated within a computer system, such as the system 700.In other embodiments, the storage medium might be separate from acomputer system (i.e., a removable medium, such as a compact disc,etc.), and/or provided in an installation package, such that the storagemedium can be used to program, configure, and/or adapt a general purposecomputer with the instructions/code stored thereon. These instructionsmight take the form of executable code, which is executable by thecomputer or hardware system 700 and/or might take the form of sourceand/or installable code, which, upon compilation and/or installation onthe computer or hardware system 700 (e.g., using any of a variety ofgenerally available compilers, installation programs,compression/decompression utilities, etc.) then takes the form ofexecutable code.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that substantialvariations may be made in accordance with specific requirements. Forexample, customized hardware (such as programmable logic controllers,field-programmable gate arrays, application-specific integratedcircuits, and/or the like) might also be used, and/or particularelements might be implemented in hardware, software (including portablesoftware, such as applets, etc.), or both. Further, connection to othercomputing devices such as network input/output devices may be employed.

As mentioned above, in one aspect, some embodiments may employ acomputer or hardware system (such as the computer or hardware system700) to perform methods in accordance with various embodiments of theinvention. According to a set of embodiments, some or all of theprocedures of such methods are performed by the computer or hardwaresystem 700 in response to processor 710 executing one or more sequencesof one or more instructions (which might be incorporated into theoperating system 740 and/or other code, such as an application program745) contained in the working memory 735. Such instructions may be readinto the working memory 735 from another computer readable medium, suchas one or more of the storage device(s) 725. Merely by way of example,execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the workingmemory 735 might cause the processor(s) 710 to perform one or moreprocedures of the methods described herein.

The terms “machine readable medium” and “computer readable medium,” asused herein, refer to any medium that participates in providing datathat causes a machine to operate in a specific fashion. In an embodimentimplemented using the computer or hardware system 700, various computerreadable media might be involved in providing instructions/code toprocessor(s) 710 for execution and/or might be used to store and/orcarry such instructions/code (e.g., as signals). In manyimplementations, a computer readable medium is a non-transitory,physical, and/or tangible storage medium. In some embodiments, acomputer readable medium may take many forms, including, but not limitedto, non-volatile media, volatile media, or the like. Non-volatile mediaincludes, for example, optical and/or magnetic disks, such as thestorage device(s) 725. Volatile media includes, without limitation,dynamic memory, such as the working memory 735. In some alternativeembodiments, a computer readable medium may take the form oftransmission media, which includes, without limitation, coaxial cables,copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise the bus705, as well as the various components of the communication subsystem730 (and/or the media by which the communications subsystem 730 providescommunication with other devices). In an alternative set of embodiments,transmission media can also take the form of waves (including, withoutlimitation, radio, acoustic, and/or light waves, such as those generatedduring radio-wave and infra-red data communications).

Common forms of physical and/or tangible computer readable mediainclude, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk,magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other opticalmedium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patternsof holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chipor cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any othermedium from which a computer can read instructions and/or code.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying oneor more sequences of one or more instructions to the processor(s) 710for execution. Merely by way of example, the instructions may initiallybe carried on a magnetic disk and/or optical disc of a remote computer.A remote computer might load the instructions into its dynamic memoryand send the instructions as signals over a transmission medium to bereceived and/or executed by the computer or hardware system 700. Thesesignals, which might be in the form of electromagnetic signals, acousticsignals, optical signals, and/or the like, are all examples of carrierwaves on which instructions can be encoded, in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention.

The communications subsystem 730 (and/or components thereof) generallywill receive the signals, and the bus 705 then might carry the signals(and/or the data, instructions, etc. carried by the signals) to theworking memory 735, from which the processor(s) 705 retrieves andexecutes the instructions. The instructions received by the workingmemory 735 may optionally be stored on a storage device 725 eitherbefore or after execution by the processor(s) 710.

As noted above, a set of embodiments comprises methods and systems forimplementing Internet of Things functionality, and, in particularembodiments, to methods, systems, apparatus, and computer software forimplementing wearable control functionality. FIG. 8 illustrates aschematic diagram of a system 800 that can be used in accordance withvarious embodiments. The system 800 can each include one or more usercomputers, user devices, or customer devices 805. A mobile usercomputer, user device, or customer device 805 can be a general purposepersonal computer (including, merely by way of example, desktopcomputers, tablet computers, laptop computers, handheld computers, smartphones, and the like, running any appropriate operating system, severalof which are available from vendors such as Apple, Microsoft Corp., andthe like), cloud computing devices, a server(s), and/or a workstationcomputer(s) running any of a variety of commercially-available UNIX™ orUNIX-like operating systems. A user computer, user device, or customerdevice 805 can also have any of a variety of applications, including oneor more applications configured to perform methods provided by variousembodiments (as described above, for example), as well as one or moreoffice applications, database client and/or server applications, and/orweb browser applications. Alternatively, a user computer, user device,or customer device 805 can be any other electronic device, such as athin-client computer, Internet-enabled mobile telephone, and/or personaldigital assistant, capable of communicating via a network (e.g., thenetwork(s) 810 described below) and/or of displaying and navigating webpages or other types of electronic documents. Although the exemplarysystem 800 is shown with two user computers, user devices, or customerdevices 805, any number of user computers, user devices, or customerdevices can be supported.

Certain embodiments operate in a networked environment, which caninclude a network(s) 810. The network(s) 810 can be any type of networkfamiliar to those skilled in the art that can support datacommunications using any of a variety of commercially-available (and/orfree or proprietary) protocols, including, without limitation, TCP/IP,SNA™, IPX™, AppleTalk™, and the like. Merely by way of example, thenetwork(s) 810 (similar to network 135 of FIGS. 1 and 2, or the like)can each include a local area network (“LAN”), including, withoutlimitation, a fiber network, an Ethernet network, a Token-Ring™ network,and/or the like; a wide-area network (“WAN”); a wireless wide areanetwork (“WWAN”); a virtual network, such as a virtual private network(“VPN”); the Internet; an intranet; an extranet; a public switchedtelephone network (“PSTN”); an infra-red network; a wireless network,including, without limitation, a network operating under any of the IEEE802.11 suite of protocols, the Bluetooth™ protocol known in the art, theZ-Wave protocol known in the art, the ZigBee protocol or other IEEE802.15.4 suite of protocols known in the art, and/or any other wirelessprotocol; and/or any combination of these and/or other networks. In aparticular embodiment, the network might include an access network ofthe service provider (e.g., an Internet service provider (“ISP”)). Inanother embodiment, the network might include a core network of theservice provider, and/or the Internet.

Embodiments can also include one or more server computers 815. Each ofthe server computers 815 may be configured with an operating system,including, without limitation, any of those discussed above, as well asany commercially (or freely) available server operating systems. Each ofthe servers 815 may also be running one or more applications, which canbe configured to provide services to one or more clients 805 and/orother servers 815.

Merely by way of example, one of the servers 815 might be a data server,a web server, a cloud computing device(s), or the like, as describedabove. The data server might include (or be in communication with) a webserver, which can be used, merely by way of example, to process requestsfor web pages or other electronic documents from user computers 805. Theweb server can also run a variety of server applications, including HTTPservers, FTP servers, CGI servers, database servers, Java servers, andthe like. In some embodiments of the invention, the web server may beconfigured to serve web pages that can be operated within a web browseron one or more of the user computers 805 to perform methods of theinvention.

The server computers 815, in some embodiments, might include one or moreapplication servers, which can be configured with one or moreapplications accessible by a client running on one or more of the clientcomputers 805 and/or other servers 815. Merely by way of example, theserver(s) 815 can be one or more general purpose computers capable ofexecuting programs or scripts in response to the user computers 805and/or other servers 815, including, without limitation, webapplications (which might, in some cases, be configured to performmethods provided by various embodiments). Merely by way of example, aweb application can be implemented as one or more scripts or programswritten in any suitable programming language, such as Java™, C, C#™ orC++, and/or any scripting language, such as Perl, Python, or TCL, aswell as combinations of any programming and/or scripting languages. Theapplication server(s) can also include database servers, including,without limitation, those commercially available from Oracle™,Microsoft™, Sybase™, IBM™, and the like, which can process requests fromclients (including, depending on the configuration, dedicated databaseclients, API clients, web browsers, etc.) running on a user computer,user device, or customer device 805 and/or another server 815. In someembodiments, an application server can perform one or more of theprocesses for implementing Internet of Things functionality, and, inparticular embodiments, to methods, systems, apparatus, and computersoftware for implementing wearable control functionality, or the like,as described in detail above. Data provided by an application server maybe formatted as one or more web pages (comprising HTML, JavaScript,etc., for example) and/or may be forwarded to a user computer 805 via aweb server (as described above, for example). Similarly, a web servermight receive web page requests and/or input data from a user computer805 and/or forward the web page requests and/or input data to anapplication server. In some cases, a web server may be integrated withan application server.

In accordance with further embodiments, one or more servers 815 canfunction as a file server and/or can include one or more of the files(e.g., application code, data files, etc.) necessary to implementvarious disclosed methods, incorporated by an application running on auser computer 805 and/or another server 815. Alternatively, as thoseskilled in the art will appreciate, a file server can include allnecessary files, allowing such an application to be invoked remotely bya user computer, user device, or customer device 805 and/or server 815.

It should be noted that the functions described with respect to variousservers herein (e.g., application server, database server, web server,file server, etc.) can be performed by a single server and/or aplurality of specialized servers, depending on implementation-specificneeds and parameters.

In certain embodiments, the system can include one or more databases 820a-820 n (collectively, “databases 820”). The location of each of thedatabases 820 is discretionary: merely by way of example, a database 820a might reside on a storage medium local to (and/or resident in) aserver 815 a (and/or a user computer, user device, or customer device805). Alternatively, a database 820 n can be remote from any or all ofthe computers 805, 815, so long as it can be in communication (e.g., viathe network 810) with one or more of these. In a particular set ofembodiments, a database 820 can reside in a storage-area network (“SAN”)familiar to those skilled in the art. (Likewise, any necessary files forperforming the functions attributed to the computers 805, 815 can bestored locally on the respective computer and/or remotely, asappropriate.) In one set of embodiments, the database 820 can be arelational database, such as an Oracle database, that is adapted tostore, update, and retrieve data in response to SQL-formatted commands.The database might be controlled and/or maintained by a database server,as described above, for example.

With reference to FIG. 8, according to some embodiments, system 800might further comprise a wearable control device 825 (similar towearable control devices 105, 305, and 400 of FIGS. 1-5, or the like)that is either worn by a user 830, one or more input/output (“I/O”)devices 835 a-835 n (collectively, “I/O devices 835” or “devices 835,”or the like; similar to input devices 115 a-115 n of FIG. 1, I/O devices225-255 and 305 a of FIGS. 2 and 3, or the like) that are disposedwithin the wearable control device 825, one or more user devices 840a-840 n (collectively, “user devices 840” or “devices 840,” or the like;similar to user devices 120 a-120 n, 315, and 315 a-315 r of FIGS. 1-3,or the like) and one or more IoT-capable sensors 845 a-845 n(collectively, “IoT-capable sensors 845” or “sensors 845,” or the like;similar to IoT-capable sensors 125 a-125 n, 310, and 310 a-310 h ofFIGS. 1-3, or the like).

In operation, the wearable control device 825 (when worn by the user830) might receive at least one first user input indicating which userdevice of a plurality of user devices 805 or 840 that the user intendsto control. The at least one first user input might comprise at leastone of first gesture input, first voice input, or first touch input,and/or the like. The wearable control device 825 and/or a remotecomputing system (e.g., server 815 a or 815 b (which might correspond tocomputing system 130 of system 100 of FIG. 1, or the like)) mightidentify a first user device 805 or 840 of the plurality of user devicesto remotely control based at least in part on the received at least onefirst user input. The wearable device 825 might establish wirelesscommunication with the identified first user device 805 or 840, andmight reconfigure a user interface of the wearable control device 825 toprovide, to the user 830, a first set of command options that arecustomized for controlling the first user device 805 or 840. Thewearable control device 825 might subsequently receive at least onesecond user input indicating which functionalities of a first pluralityof functionalities of the first user device the user intends to invoke.The at least one second user input might comprise at least one of secondgesture input, second voice input, or second touch input, and/or thelike. The wearable control device 825 and/or a remote computing system(e.g., server 815 a or 815 b) might identify one or more firstfunctionalities of the first plurality of functionalities of the firstuser device to invoke based at least in part on the received at leastone second user input, and might generate one or more first commandinstructions for the first user device 805 or 840, based at least inpart on the identified one or more first functionalities of the firstuser device. The wearable control device might subsequently send thegenerated one or more first command instructions to cause the first userdevice 805 or 840 to perform the one or more first functionalities.

In some cases, the one or more user devices 840 a-840 n might comprisethe mobile user computer, user device, or customer device 805 a or 805b. The machine-to-machine communications between the wearable controldevice 825 and each of the user devices 805 a or 805 b, the user devices840 a-840 n, and the IoT-capable sensors 845 a-845 n are represented inFIG. 8 by the lightning bolt symbols, which in some cases denoteswireless communications (although, in some instances, need not bewireless, but can be wired communications). These and other functions ofthe system 800 (and its components) are described in greater detailabove with respect to FIGS. 1-6.

While certain features and aspects have been described with respect toexemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize thatnumerous modifications are possible. For example, the methods andprocesses described herein may be implemented using hardware components,software components, and/or any combination thereof. Further, whilevarious methods and processes described herein may be described withrespect to particular structural and/or functional components for easeof description, methods provided by various embodiments are not limitedto any particular structural and/or functional architecture but insteadcan be implemented on any suitable hardware, firmware and/or softwareconfiguration. Similarly, while certain functionality is ascribed tocertain system components, unless the context dictates otherwise, thisfunctionality can be distributed among various other system componentsin accordance with the several embodiments.

Moreover, while the procedures of the methods and processes describedherein are described in a particular order for ease of description,unless the context dictates otherwise, various procedures may bereordered, added, and/or omitted in accordance with various embodiments.Moreover, the procedures described with respect to one method or processmay be incorporated within other described methods or processes;likewise, system components described according to a particularstructural architecture and/or with respect to one system may beorganized in alternative structural architectures and/or incorporatedwithin other described systems. Hence, while various embodiments aredescribed with—or without—certain features for ease of description andto illustrate exemplary aspects of those embodiments, the variouscomponents and/or features described herein with respect to a particularembodiment can be substituted, added and/or subtracted from among otherdescribed embodiments, unless the context dictates otherwise.Consequently, although several exemplary embodiments are describedabove, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to coverall modifications and equivalents within the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: receiving, with a wearablecontrol device, at least one first user input indicating which userdevice of a plurality of user devices that the user intends to control;identifying, with at least one of the wearable control device or aremote computing system, a first user device of the plurality of userdevices to remotely control based at least in part on the received atleast one first user input; receiving, with the wearable control device,at least one second user input indicating which functionalities of afirst plurality of functionalities of the first user device the userintends to invoke; identifying, with the at least one of the wearablecontrol device or the remote computing system, one or more firstfunctionalities of the first plurality of functionalities of the firstuser device to invoke based at least in part on the received at leastone second user input; and causing, with the wearable control device,the first user device to perform the one or more first functionalities.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable control device has a formcomprising one of a bracer, a bracelet, a wrist watch, a smart watch, awrist band, a bangle, a gauntlet, a wrist strap, a finger ring, a headband, or a glove.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofuser devices comprises at least one of one or more display devices, oneor more speakers, one or more media recording or playback devices, oneor more household appliances, one or more kitchen appliances, one ormore lighting systems, one or more automated door locking systems, oneor more automated door opening or closing systems, one or more automatedwindow locking systems, one or more automated window opening or closingsystems, one or more smart windows, one or more window covering controlsystems, one or more customer premises security systems, one or morecustomer premises environmental control systems, one or more electricaloutlets, one or more power strips, one or more dimmer switches, one ormore data ports, one or more clocks, one or more sprinkler systems, oneor more vehicles, one or more mobile user devices, one or more medicaldevices, one or more fitness trackers, or one or more exerciseequipment.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communicationcomprises at least one of machine-to-machine Internet of Things (“IoT”)communications, Bluetooth communications, Z-wave communications, ZigBeecommunications, or WiFi communications.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising: establishing, with the wearable control device,wireless communication with the identified first user device, whereinestablishing wireless communication with the identified first userdevice comprises establishing, with the wearable control device,wireless communication with the identified first user device via one ormore application programming interfaces (“APIs”) established between thewearable control device and the first user device.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one first user input comprises at leastone of first gesture input, first voice input, or first touch input, andwherein identifying the first user device comprises analyzing, with theat least one of the wearable control device or the remote computingsystem, the at least one first user input by using at least one of thefirst gesture input, the first voice input, or the first touch input toaugment or complement at least one other of the first gesture input, thefirst voice input, or the first touch input.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the at least one second user input comprises at least one offirst gesture input, first voice input, or first touch input, andwherein identifying the one or more first functionalities of the firstuser device comprises analyzing, with the at least one of the wearablecontrol device or the remote computing system, the at least one seconduser input by using at least one of the second gesture input, the secondvoice input, or the second touch input to augment or complement at leastone other of the second gesture input, the second voice input, or thesecond touch input.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying thefirst user device and identifying the one or more first functionalitiesof the first user device comprise analyzing, with the at least one ofthe wearable control device or the remote computing system, the at leastone first user input and the at least one second user input,respectively, using artificial intelligence (“AI”) to improveinteractions with the user.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the AI isfurther utilized to improve machine-to-machine interactions and toimprove reconfiguration of the user interface of the wearable controldevice to provide, to the user, the command options that are customizedfor controlling the first user device.
 10. The method of claim 1,wherein the remote computing system comprises at least one of a servercomputer remote from the wearable control device, a gateway device, ahuman interface device, a cloud computing system, or a distributedcomputing system that integrates computing resources from two or moreuser devices of the plurality of user devices.
 11. The method of claim1, further comprising: receiving, with the wearable control device, atleast one third user input indicating which other user device of theplurality of user devices that the user intends to control next;identifying, with the at least one of the wearable control device or theremote computing system, a second user device of the plurality of userdevices to remotely control based at least in part on the received atleast one third user input; receiving, with the wearable control device,at least one fourth user input indicating which functionalities of asecond plurality of functionalities of the second user device to invoke;identifying, with the at least one of the wearable control device or theremote computing system, one or more second functionalities of thesecond plurality of functionalities of the second user device to invokebased at least in part on the received at least one fourth user input;and causing, with the wearable control device, the second user device toperform the one or more second functionalities.
 12. The method of claim11, wherein the wearable control device concurrently controls both thefirst user device and the second user device, wherein reconfiguring theuser interface comprises reconfiguring, with the wearable controldevice, the user interface of the wearable control device to provide, tothe user, a third set of command options, the third set of commandoptions comprising a combination of the first set of command optionsthat are customized for controlling the first user device and the secondset of command options that are customized for controlling the seconduser device.
 13. A wearable control device, the wearable control devicecomprising: at least one processor; at least one user input device; auser interface; at least one transceiver; and a non-transitory computerreadable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor,the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereoncomputer software comprising a set of instructions that, when executedby the at least one processor, causes the wearable control device to:receive, via the at least one user input device, at least one first userinput, the at least one first user input indicating which user device ofa plurality of user devices that the user intends to control; identify afirst user device of the plurality of user devices to remotely controlbased at least in part on the received at least one first user input;receive, via the at least one user input device, at least one seconduser input, the at least one second user input indicating whichfunctionalities of a first plurality of functionalities of the firstuser device the user intends to invoke; identify one or more firstfunctionalities of the first plurality of functionalities of the firstuser device to invoke based at least in part on the received at leastone second user input; and cause the first user device to perform theone or more first functionalities.
 14. The wearable control device ofclaim 13, wherein the wearable control device has a form comprising oneof a bracer, a bracelet, a wrist watch, a smart watch, a wrist band, abangle, a gauntlet, a wrist strap, a finger ring, a head band, or aglove.
 15. The wearable control device of claim 13, wherein theplurality of user devices comprises at least one of one or more displaydevices, one or more speakers, one or more media recording or playbackdevices, one or more household appliances, one or more kitchenappliances, one or more lighting systems, one or more automated doorlocking systems, one or more automated door opening or closing systems,one or more automated window locking systems, one or more automatedwindow opening or closing systems, one or more smart windows, one ormore window covering control systems, one or more customer premisessecurity systems, one or more customer premises environmental controlsystems, one or more electrical outlets, one or more power strips, oneor more dimmer switches, one or more data ports, one or more clocks, oneor more sprinkler systems, one or more vehicles, one or more mobile userdevices, one or more medical devices, one or more fitness trackers, orone or more exercise equipment.
 16. The wearable control device of claim13, wherein the at least one transceiver is configured to providewireless communications with one or more user devices of the pluralityof user devices, the wireless communications comprising at least one ofmachine-to-machine Internet of Things (“IoT”) communications, Bluetoothcommunications, Z-wave communications, ZigBee communications, or WiFicommunications.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least onefirst user input comprises at least one of first gesture input, firstvoice input, or first touch input, and wherein identifying the firstuser device comprises analyzing, with the at least one of the wearablecontrol device or the remote computing system, the at least one firstuser input by using at least one of the first gesture input, the firstvoice input, or the first touch input to augment or complement at leastone other of the first gesture input, the first voice input, or thefirst touch input.
 18. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least onesecond user input comprises at least one of first gesture input, firstvoice input, or first touch input, and wherein identifying the one ormore first functionalities of the first user device comprises analyzing,with the at least one of the wearable control device or the remotecomputing system, the at least one second user input by using at leastone of the second gesture input, the second voice input, or the secondtouch input to augment or complement at least one other of the secondgesture input, the second voice input, or the second touch input. 19.The wearable control device of claim 13, wherein the at least one userinput device comprises at least one of one or more gesture inputdevices, one or more voice input devices, or one or more touch inputdevices, wherein the one or more gesture input devices comprise one ormore accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one or more motion sensors,one or more location sensors, one or more altitude sensors, one or moretilt sensors, or one or more rotation sensors, wherein the one or morevoice input devices comprise one or more microphones, one or more soundamplitude detectors, one or more sound frequency detectors, or one ormore voice recognition devices, wherein the one or more touch inputdevices comprise a pointer stick, one or more touchscreen displays, oneor more buttons, one or more switches, one or more toggles, or one ormore dials, wherein receiving the at least one first user inputcomprises receiving, via at least one of the one or more gesture inputdevices, the one or more voice input devices, or the one or more touchinput devices, corresponding at least one of first gesture input, firstvoice input, or first touch input, wherein receiving the at least onesecond user input comprises receiving, via at least one of the one ormore gesture input devices, the one or more voice input devices, or theone or more touch input devices, corresponding at least one of secondgesture input, he second voice input, or second touch input.
 20. Thewearable control device of claim 13, further comprising at least one ofa wrist strap, a clip, a pin, a clasp, an ear-loop, a finger ring, a toering, a bangle, a hook and loop-type strap, eyewear stems, a head band,or a buckle that allows the wearable control device to be removablyaffixed to at least one of a wrist of the user, a portion of skin of theuser, a limb of the user, an appendage of the user, a torso of the user,a head of the user, or a piece of clothing worn by the user.